WASHINGTON -- In their ongoing quest to solidify the bullpen, the Pirates called upon a new -- albeit familiar -- reliever on Saturday morning.
Pittsburgh recalled right-hander Hunter Stratton from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to the club's 7-1 win over the Nationals. With the early 11 a.m. ET start time due to the Fourth of July, Stratton arrived at Nationals Park just 90 minutes before first pitch.
Fortunately, it didn't take long to settle in.
"It feels like home," Stratton said. "Just that familiarity, that's what I was stoked about. … This is the team that I came up with, and I'm just looking forward to getting back out there and helping them."
Given the rushed travel schedule, the Pirates understandably gave Stratton an extra day to re-acclimate. Starter Braxton Ashcraft allowed just one run over 5 2/3 innings before handing things over to the bullpen with a four-run lead. Pittsburgh added a couple of insurance runs in the eighth while Stratton watched it all from the visitors’ bullpen in left-center field.
Stratton first joined the organization in 2017, when the Pirates selected him in the 16th round of the MLB Draft. He grinded his way through Pittsburgh's farm system over the next half-decade before ultimately making his MLB debut in 2023.
The right-hander then made the Opening Day roster in 2024 and was one of the Pirates' bright spots until a freak left knee injury cut his season short. Stratton ruptured his patella tendon while chasing down an errant throw, a serious injury that briefly derailed his career.
Though Stratton returned in late April last year, he spent most of his time at Triple-A Indianapolis before being traded to the Braves on July 1. He pitched well down the stretch, posting a 2.38 ERA in 10 appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett and a 2.76 ERA in 12 outings with Atlanta.
But it hasn't been an easy journey to get back to where he was prior to the injury.
"Just get the body back to what it was in '24," Stratton said when asked what he focused on last year. "Going through an injury like that, a lot happens -- a lot of atrophies. Putting it back on takes a lot longer than losing it. So just getting all that back right -- and I think I got it.”
The Pirates think he does, too.
That's why they re-acquired him from the Braves a few weeks ago. In need of bullpen help, the Pirates swung a June 18 deal to bring Stratton back to Pittsburgh in exchange for catcher Joey Bart.
"Getting Stratt back in that trade, and to see him back here in Pittsburgh is great," manager Don Kelly said. "And he gives us another arm to be able to deploy out of the 'pen."
Stratton had tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings in four appearances with Indianapolis prior to Saturday's callup.
"Yeah, a bit of a wild ride," Stratton said. "You know, the injury in ’24, bounceback last year, traded over to the Braves -- really enjoyed my time over there -- and then traded back over here. I'm feeling like my old self, and good and ready to go."
Stratton joins a bullpen that entered Saturday with a 4.46 ERA, which ranked 21st in the Majors. That unit has struggled even more of late, putting up a 5.30 ERA since the start of June.
Can Stratton help?
“I think I can," he said. "I think I can help go out there and have quick innings and fill up the zone, and just help in any way I can."
The Pirates could certainly use it. Perhaps not by coincidence, the recent bullpen woes have coincided with struggles throughout the starting rotation. So, despite boasting one of the best offenses in the Majors, the Pirates (45-45) sit at .500 through 90 games.
Still, they hit the midway point with a winning record for the first time since 2015 -- which is also the last time they made the postseason. They sit 3 1/2 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot in their quest to end a drought that dates back further than Stratton's 10 years in the organization.
The Pirates finished 76-86 in both 2023 and '24 while Stratton was with the big league club. He's looking forward to potentially pitching in more meaningful games this time around.
"So excited," Stratton said. "I know the last time we were .500 or above [at this point], it was like 2015. So really looking forward to helping out, and hopefully, we can keep that up."