Pirates Make 40-Man Roster Decision After Camilo Doval Trade
In this story:
CINCINNATI — The Pittsburgh Pirates made their first big trade before the deadline and made a roster decision based on it.
The Pirates announced that they designated right-handed relief pitcher Hunter Stratton for assignment, making room on the 40-man roster for new trade acquisition in fellow right-handed relief pitcher Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees.
Doval joins the Pirates, along with cash considerations, with the Yankees receiving catcher prospect Omar Alfonzo and 18-year old outfielder propsect Luis Cruz, in the official trade on Aug. 1.
The Pirates will almost certainly make more moves, but Stratton is the first and one of a few players they'll have to take off the 40-man roster.
Why the Pirates DFA'd Stratton
The Pirates brought Stratton back for his second tenure with the team, after they added him in a trade with the Atlanta Braves on June 18, who received catcher Joey Bart.
Atlanta had already DFA'd Stratton and the Pirates moved on from Bart, so it made sense for both teams to give each other a player of need.
The Pirates needed any bullpen help they could get, as they looked for moves in the months leading up to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, and Stratton was an easy addition for them.
Stratton also had experience with the Pirates, pitching in 47 games over three seasons, 2023-25, and was their 16th round draft pick in 2017 out of Walters State Community College in Morristown, Tenn.
The Pirates recalled Stratton from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 4, as they placed left-handed relief pitcher Evan Sisk on the 15-day injured list.
Stratton made just two appearances for the Pirates this season, both against the Braves at PNC Park, July 7 and July 9.
He gave up a two-run single in the top of the ninth inning of the series opener, a 12-4 win for the Pirates, and got the final out of the fourth inning and threw a scoreless fifth inning in the 10-5 loss to the Braves in the series finale.
The Pirates optioned Stratton back to Indianapolis on July 10, and he pitched three times in Triple-A before the DFA.
Another MLB team could pick up Stratton and put him on their 40-man roster, which the Pirates could do by facilitating a trade, or if no one takes him, he'll just rejoin the Pirates and stay in the minor leagues.
What Pirates Bullpen Looks lIke Now
The Pirates will have to make room on the 26-man roster for Doval, but it's likely he doesn't join the team until the series finale vs. the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Aug. 2 or the series opener vs. the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Aug. 3.
Pittsburgh currently has six right-handed pitchers in their bullpen, featuring Wilber Dotel, Ron Marinaccio, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski, Noah Murdock and Yohan Ramírez, plus two left-handed options in Mason Montgomery or Gregory Soto.
The Pirates will likely send Murdock back down to Triple-A after they bring up Doval, but if they pitch Mattson tonight, they could send him back instead.
Expect the Pirates to make more moves before the trade deadline, particularly targeting the bullpen.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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.