The Pirates made their first move of the 2021 offseason, claiming right-handed reliever Eric Hanhold off waivers from the Orioles Wednesday.
Holhold, 28, allowed eight earned runs over 10 outings and 10 ⅓ innings in the majors last season while pitching to a 5.19 ERA over 25 games with the Orioles’ Class AAA affiliate.
He also made a brief cameo in the majors with the Mets in 2018 for his only other big league experience.
His fastball averages 95 mph with nearly 2,300 RPM of spin. He throws both a four-seamer and sinker, though he leans towards the former, with a high-spin slider and a changeup. According to Baseball Savant, both of his offspeed and breaking pitches get above-average movement.
Hanhold was drafted by the Brewers in the sixth round of the 2015 draft. He was traded to the Mets for Neil Walker in 2017. The Orioles claimed him off waivers after the 2019 season before outrighting him to the minors.
There is no corresponding roster move at this time, though rosters will need to be trimmed down to 40 by Sunday, including activating players from the 60-day injured list.
The Pirates’ roster currently has 46 players, so at least six spots will need to be cleared by the end of the week. More spots will need to be cleared to add prospects later this month.
In other news, earlier Wednesday, three Pirates officially became free agents: Outfielder/infielder Yoshi Tsutsugo, starter Trevor Cahill and reliever Shelby Miller.
They will be eligible to sign with other teams starting Sunday, five days after the World Series concluded.
Last week, general manager Ben Cherington expressed the Pirates’ interest in keeping Tsutsugo and that the club had “dialogue” with him about a potential reunion after a strong finish to his 2021 season.
