Pirates Trade Veteran Catcher to Braves
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates aren't waiting for the trade deadline to make moves, as they've already added to their roster.
The Pirates announced that they traded catcher Joey Bart to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for right-handed relief pitcher Hunter Stratton, who the Braves had previously designated for assignment on June 17. Stratton will report to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Bart joined the Pirates two years ago on April 4, 2024, in a trade with the San Francisco Giants, that sent right-handed pitcher Hunter Strickland the other way.
Stratton previously pitched three seasons for the Pirates and will surely get a shot to join the bullpen at some point this season.
Why the Pirates Traded Joey Bart
Bart hadn't played for the Pirates since early May, going on the 10-day injured list with a left foot infection on May 10.
He was on a rehab assignment with Indianapolis ahead of this trade and looked close to returning, which presented the Pirates with a catcher dilemma.
This was especially true, since Endy Rodríguez has hit impressively since Bart went on the injured list, slashing .267/.413/.467 for an OPS of .880 in 23 games.
Bart was out of minor league options, so the Pirates would've had to send either Rodríguez or Henry Davis down to Triple-A, or designated Bart for assignment, with the trade showing that they made their decision.
This trade means that the Pirates have three catchers on the 40-man roster in Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez, both on the major league roster, and Rafael Flores Jr., who is at Triple-A.
Pirates Reunite With Former Relief Pitcher
The Pirates took Stratton in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of Walters State Community College and he pitched three seasons for the team, 2023-25.
Pittsburgh traded Stratton to the Braves on July 1, 2025, after they designated him for assignment on June 26, landing outfielder prospect Titus Dumitru in return.
Stratton pitched in 47 games over those three seasons, including 36 appearances in 2024, posting a 4.30 ERA over 52.1 innings pitched in his time with the Pirates.
He only pitched in one game for the Braves this season, throwing a scoreless inning in a 9-1 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 2. He posted a 4.38 ERA over 21 outings and 24.2 innings pitched with Triple-A Gwinnett.
The Pirates have had bullpen issues and are looking for anyone to really help that out in that regard, which makes sense for them to bring Stratton back, who will look to prove himself as a key relief pitcher.
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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.