Pittsburgh Pirates Call Up Utility Man Ji Hwan Bae To Make Season Debut

Ji Hwan Bae was a mainstay in the Pittsburgh Pirates' lineup in 2023, and after suffering a hip injury and spending a month in Triple-A, he is ready to rejoin the group in 2024.

Mar 5, 2024; Bradenton, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae (3) catches the ball for an out during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at LECOM Park. / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Pirates have recalled Ji Hwan Bae from Triple-A Indianapolis, the team announced Tuesday.

To make room for Bae on the active 26-man roster, Pittsburgh optioned right-handed pitcher Ryder Ryan to Triple-A Indianapolis.

We have recalled INF/OF Ji Hwan Bae from Triple-A Indianapolis, and optioned RHP Ryder Ryan to Triple-A Indianapolis to make room on the 26-man active roster.

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 21, 2024

Bae will be making his first major league appearance of 2024 if or when he takes the field Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants. The 24-year-old opened the regular season on the 10-day injured list with a left hip flexor strain.

After a brief rehab assignment with Low-A Bradenton, Bae continued to recover in Triple-A. He was eventually activated on April 15, although the Pirates optioned him and kept him parked in Indianapolis.

In 27 games with the Indians this season, Bae hit .367 with four home runs, 15 RBI, seven RBI and a 1.030 OPS. That production, as well as third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes' recent injury, may have convinced the Pirates to bring Bae back to the big leagues.

Bae joined the Pirates' organization in 2018 as a top international free agent out of South Korea. He made his MLB debut in 2022, then became an everyday player in 2023.

Across 111 appearances, Bae hit .231 with two home runs, 32 RBI, 24 stolen bases, a .608 OPS and a -0.4 WAR. He spent half his time at second base and the other half in center field.

Nick Gonzales and rookie Alika Williams have been splitting time at second base for Pittsburgh as of late, while Jack Suwinski and Michael A. Taylor have platooned in center. That means at-bats may be tough to come by for Bae upon his arrival, even with this latest vote of confidence.

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