Pirates Relief Pitcher Making Opening Day Roster
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will have a recent addition make the opening day roster, featuring as a part of their pitching core.
Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that both Andrew Heaney and Justin Lawrence got their uniform numbers, 45 and 61 respectively. This means that Lawrence made the team ahead of opening day.
Two Pirates players changed their uniform numbers: LHP Andrew Heaney will wear No. 45, RHP Justin Lawrence No. 61.
— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) March 26, 2025
That means Lawrence, a reliever claimed off waivers from Colorado earlier this month, made the team.
The Pirates claimed Lawrence off of Waivers on March 3, after the Colorado Rockies designated him for assignment on March 1. He pitched in six games in spring training, with an 0-2 record and a 7.50 ERA over 6.0 innings of work.
Lawrence was born in Panama, but moved to the United States when he was two years old. He attended First Coast High School in Jacksonville, Fla. and then played baseball in college for Florida Gulf Coast.
The Rockies took him in the 12th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, where he spent the next four full seasons in the minors.
He didn't play at all in 2020, after testing positive for the performance enhancing substance dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, or DHCMT, receiving an 80-game suspension.
The Rockies called him up on April 29, 2021 and spent the next four seasons with the franchise at the MLB level.
His best season came in 2023, as he posted a 4-7 record over a career-high 69 appearances, with a 3.72 ERA in 75.0 innings pitched, 78 strikeouts to 36 walks and holding opposing hitters to a batting average of .235.
Lawrence struggled last season with the Rockies, with a 4-4 record, a 6.49 ERA over 59.2 innings pitched, 45 strikeouts to 33 walks, a WHIP of 1.78 and an opposing batting average of .313.
The Pirates have two more remaining bullpen spots open before they release their full roster. They have four pitchers going out for them in right-handed pitchers Peter Strzelecki and Hunter Stratton, plus left-handed pitchers in Tim Mayza and Joey Wentz.
David Bednar, Colin Holderman and Dennis Santana, who pitched all of last year for the Pirates all look like they certainly make the Pirates opening day roster.
Alex Stumpf of MLB.com also reported that left-handed pitcher Ryan Borucki is likely making the opening day roster as well, and so too will fellow left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson, who the Pirates signed to a one-year, $3 million contract this offseason.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.