Pirates Send Multiple Players to Minor League Spring Training
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates made a number of moves, as they get the roster ready for the start of the 2025 season.
The Pirates announced that they reassigned right-handed pitcher in Thomas Harrington, Carson Fullmer, Burch Smith and Tanner Rainey, plus first base/outfielder DJ Stewart to minor league spring training.
Harrington made his first spring start against the Philadelphia Phillies on March 18 at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., a 3-2 win on a walk-off home run for the Pirates.
He allowed a home run to Phillies designated hitter Nick Castellanos in the top of the first inning, but that served as the only hit he allowed in 3 2/3 innings, with just one walk and three strikeouts on the day.
Harrington started in the Grapefruit League finale and struggled in the 5-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla on March 24. He pitched three innings, allowing five hits, four earned runs and a home run.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton said prior to the Spring Training finale that they have Carmen Mlodzinski as the fifth starter, joining National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, Bailey Falter and Andrew Heaney, who the team signed as a free agent this offseason.
Stewart a non-roster invite, was one of eight Pirates who played first base during Spring Training, doing it seven times, the most of any player. Jared Triolo played there six times, Darrick Hall and Nick Yorke both played there four times, Billy Cook played there three times and Adam Frazier played there twice.
He impressed the franchise early on in Spring Training, hitting over .500 in February, but struggled in recent weeks. He slashed .250/.348/.450 for an OPS of .798, with 10 hits, five double, seven runs, five RBIs and four walks in 19 games in the Grapefruit League.
Backup catcher Endy Rodríguez played at first base against the Twins and will play there this season too, with Jared Triolo starting.
The Pirates have looked for options at first base and originally traded with the Cleveland Guardians for Spencer Horwitz back on Dec. 10. They sent three players in return to the Guardians in right-handed pitcher Luis Ortiz and left-handed pitchers in Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy.
Horwitz is currently out dealing with a right wrist injury and his timeline was six to eight weeks from Feb. 12, but the Pirates haven't confirmed when he'll return.
Rainey signed pitched in seven games in Spring Training, Fullmer pitched in six games and started one, while Burch pitched in two games. All three of them signed minor league contracts with the Pirates this offseason.
The Pirates open their regular season with a four-game road series against the Miami Marlins, starting on March 27.
