Cleveland Guardians Trade Right-Handed Reliever To Pirates

This move doesn't come as a huge surprise. Strzelecki was designated for assignment on Wednesday evening as a part of several moves with Cleveland's 40-man roster. Instead of releasing him, the Guardians got something small in return for Strzelecki.

The right-handed reliever appeared in 10 games for the Guardians last season and posted some solid numbers in limited opportunities. Strzelecki had a 2.31 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP over 11.2 innings pitched. He also struck out nine batters and threw 61 percent of his pitches for strikes.

These stats are just about in line with the numbers Strzelecki has put up throughout his two-year career. The righty has a 3.44 ERA, 1.200 WHIP, and 123 ERA+ in three MLB seasons with three different teams.

Obviously, the Guardians had the best bullpen in baseball last season, and that's likely to continue in 2025 with the same group returning. The Pirates, on the other hand, had a 4.49 team-reliever ERA during the 2024 season, which was ranked bottom five in all of baseball.

The Pirates are looking for help on that front any place they can get it.

There wasn't a spot for Strzelecki in Cleveland's bullpen, and now he gets to go to an organization where he could have a more significant role.