LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Atlanta Braves have acquired left-handed pitcher Eric O'Flaherty from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations. He will be assigned to the Major League roster and will wear uniform No. 34.
O'Flaherty, 31, spent time with both the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets last season, going 1-2 with a 8.10 ERA (27 ER/30.0 IP) in a combined 41 games out of the bullpen. He opened the season with Oakland and appeared in 25 games before being traded to the Mets on August 4.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound left-hander returns to the Braves organization for his second stint after spending five seasons, from 2009 to 2013, with the Club. He pitched at a 1.99 ERA (55 ER/249.1 IP), while holding opposing left-handed hitters to a .190 batting average over 295 appearances out of the bullpen as a Brave, and in 2011 led all Major League relievers with a 0.98 ERA which established a Major League record as be became the first pitcher to post an ERA under 1.00 while making at least 70 appearances. In 2013, his final season with Atlanta, he underwent "Tommy John" surgery on May 21.
Originally selected by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round of the 2003 amateur draft, O'Flaherty has pitched for four Clubs at the Major League level over his 10-year career. His career record is 22-11 with a 3.24 ERA (133 ER/369.1 IP), while notching 281 strikeouts in 369.1 innings.