The Pirates yesterday signed former Mariners and Brewers first baseman Daniel Vogelbach and right-handed reliever Heath Hembree, who has played with five teams, including the Mets and Reds last year. Vogelbach was an AL All-Star with Seattle in 2019. He’s played for the Brewers the last two seasons and hit .219 with nine homers last year. Hembree was 2-7 with a 5.59 ERA last season and is 18-12 with 11 saves and a 4.19 ERA over nine seasons in MLB.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates put relief pitchers Blake Cederlind and Nick Mears on the 60-day injured list. Cederlind is returning this season from Tommy John surgery and Mears had arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove scar tissue last month.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton says the team is focused on the job ahead of it, not on the past, as spring training moves forward.
Audio PlayerMLB NOTES:
- The Yankees and first baseman Anthony Rizzo have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract worth $32 million, with a player opt-out after this season.
- A day after acquiring Matt Olson from the A’s, the braves signed the slugging first baseman to an 8-year, $168 million deal.
- The Brewers have signed former Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a one-year contract.
- According to USA Today, players on the Yankees and Mets are subject to New York City’s private employer vaccine mandate, meaning unvaccinated players will not be able to play in home games. The Yankees said on Tuesday that the team is “working with city hall and all other appropriate officials on this matter” while the Mets declined to comment.
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