Pirates Reliever Ecstatic About Return
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WASHINGTON — The Pittsburgh Pirates need help in their bullpen and may just get that in a reliever making his return to the team.
The Pirates recalled right-handed relief pitcher Hunter Stratton from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 4, as they placed left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk on the 15-day injured list.
Stratton joined the team ahead of their matchup with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Independence Day and couldn't have been happier to rejoin the team that helped his dreams come true.
“It feels so good. I mean, it feels like home," Stratton said. "This is the team that I came up with, and I'm just looking forward to getting back out there and helping them.”
Hunter Stratton Recalls MLB Journey With Pirates
The Pirates took Stratton in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB Draft from Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.
Stratton spent a long seven years in the Pirates minor league system before making his MLB debut in 2023.
He made 47 relief appearances with the Pirates over three seasons, 2023-25, with 15 outings in 2023 and the a career-high 36 outings in 2024.
Stratton had some success with the Pirates in his first two seasons, a 3.58 ERA over 36 outings and 37.2 innings pitched, while posting a 3.26 ERA over 44 outings and 49.2 innings in 2024.
He ruptured his patellar tendon when pitching against the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park on Aug. 24, 2024, as he tried to get to home plate to cover it after throwing a wild pitch, which kept him out for some time.
Stratton made a quick return, but struggled in 2025 with the Pirates, with seven earned runs over three outings and 2.2 innings pitched, and they eventually traded him to the Atlanta Braves on July 1.
He rejoins the Pirates after they traded catcher Joey Bart to the Braves back on June 18, and is confident that he's back to his best pitching, which he had before that injury.
“Just get the body back to what it was in ’24," Stratton said. "You know, going through an injury like that, a lot happens – a lot of atrophies, you know. Putting it back on takes a lot longer than losing it. So just getting all that back right, and I think I got it.”
It was a great moment for Stratton, who is back where he feels the most comfortable and where he already has a few friends from before.
“Oh man, I was stoked," Stratton said on coming back to Pirates. "I mean, there's a lot of great guys over here, a lot of great faces – and a lot of new faces, too, that I'm looking forward to get to know. Just that familiarity, that's what I was stoked about. Just getting back over here with the guys. Feels like home.”
What Stratton Can Bring The Pirates
The Pirates brought Stratton back, as they needed any bullpen options they could find in 2026.
Pittsburgh's bullpen has been one of the worst in baseball, with 17 blown saves in 34 save opportunities and the ninth-highest ERA at 4.46.
Stratton is someone the Pirates have familiarity with and believe that they can trust to take on some innings and do so efficiently.
He had some success in Triple-A this season, throwing four scoreless outings and 5.1 innings at Indianapolis.
Expect Stratton throwing a two-pitch combo of a fastball and slider, while also using the cutter to get him back in at-bats and a two-seam option as new pitch that he developed to help take down major league hitting.
“Just filling up the zone and being ready for here, you know? I don't want to walk anybody, I just want to come in and challenge hitters and do what's asked," Stratton said on his goals with the Pirates
Stratton joins a Pirates team that is 44-45 and four games back in the National League Wild Card race, with a real chance to finally make the postseason if they can go on a run.
Coming back to the Pirates clubhouse reminded Stratton why he loved being with this team, noticing how close everyone is and that they all want to play a part in bringing winning baseball back to Pittsburgh.
“So excited, I know the last time we were .500 or above [at this point], it was like 2015 or something like that," Stratton said. "Really looking forward to helping out, and hopefully we can keep that up.”
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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.