Huntington open to adding players before Deadline

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates addressed their only glaring weakness a week before the non-waiver Trade Deadline, acquiring Aramis Ramirez on Thursday to help solidify the left side of their infield after a pair of injuries.

But that doesn't necessarily mean the Pirates will remain quiet over the next five days leading up to the Deadline. General manager Neal Huntington said Pittsburgh would still like to add to the club before Sunday's 3-1 win over the Nationals.

"We've shored up what we felt was our biggest soft spot. We'll continue to look," Huntington said. "It just gives us some versatility and flexibility to find where we think the next best match and next best fit is."

Video: WSH@PIT: Huntington on Pirates' addition of Ramirez

Huntington didn't specify where such a fit might be for the Pirates.

"We're exploring basically everything," Huntington said. "Trying to find out what the acquisition costs are, what our impact would be internally -- both on the field from a production standpoint, but also trying to be sensitive to the clubhouse and what move 'X' or 'Y' would do to our expected production versus the intangible, as well."

The Pirates haven't come up particularly often in rumors leading up to Friday's Trade Deadline. There has been some talk that they could bolster their bullpen, adding another reliever to improve their depth.

First baseman Pedro Alvarez has also been a topic of conversation, as Yahoo! Sports quoted an anonymous general manager as saying the Pirates were "offering him to everybody."

Video: WSH@PIT: Alvarez lifts two-run shot out of ballpark

Alvarez said on Saturday night he wasn't even aware of the rumors.

"My job is to come in here every day and continue to do what I can to contribute to try to get a 'W' at the end of the day," Alvarez said. "Those are things that I don't even worry about, because they're external."

Around the horn

• First baseman/outfielder Andrew Lambo, out since May 3 due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, suffered another setback in his rehab, Huntington said. Lambo received an anti-inflammatory injection and will be shut down for three weeks.

• Right-hander Casey Sadler, who made a spot start for the Pirates earlier this season, received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his right forearm/elbow from Dr. James Andrews on Thursday, the Pirates announced on Sunday. Out with a right forearm strain, Sadler is expected to be sidelined another six to eight weeks.

• Reliever Rob Scahill (forearm tightness) is still going through his throwing progression. He could head down to Pirate City in Florida soon to continue his rehabilitation.

• Outfielder Gorkys Hernandez (left shoulder) and infielder Justin Sellers (left heel pain) are currently playing for Triple-A Indianapolis. Hernandez is on a rehab assignment. Sellers came off the 60-day disabled list and was outrighted off the Pirates' 40-man roster and assigned to the Triple-A roster.

With the recent flurry of moves, the Pirates have 39 players on their 40-man roster.