Notes: Cobra Voted Into HoF, Pirates Make Depth Signings, Meetings Begin, Soto Inked, Pirates & League News

A lazy shade of winter…

Pirates Stuff: 

• Dave Parker was voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame after being named on 14-of-16 Classic Era ballots and will be inducted on July 27, 2025. He’ll be joined by Wampum’s Dick Allen. The Cobra hit .290 w/339 HR and 1,493 RBI in 19 seasons (.305/166/758 in 11 Bucco campaigns). He won the MVP in 1978, was a seven-time All-Star, led the league in batting twice, played for a pair of World Series champs, claimed three Silver Slugger trophies, three Golden Glove awards and is a member of both the Pirates & the Reds Halls of Fame.

• RHP Hunter Stratton has re-signed with the Pirates on a minor league deal. He ruptured a patella tendon in his left knee in late August, an injury that required surgery with a 7-10 month rehab period. The Bucs non-tendered him last month, but with the intention of bringing him back, recognizing that he’s not expected to be ready for action until midseason. Hunter slashed 2-1-1/.3.58 in 36 outings for the club last season before being injured.
• The Pirates have re-signed 29-year-old RH reliever Isaac Mattson to a minor league deal. Though not specified, it’s assumed he landed an invite to camp. The Pitt product made the rounds last year, working at Altoona and Indy before getting three outings with the Bucs. He became a free agent last month after being dropped from the 40-man.
• Also joining up on a minor league, NRI deal is RHP Tanner Rainey, who has seven years and 198 MLB games under his belt, mostly with the Nats. The bullpen arm has a 5-10-15/5.23 big league slash and was non-tendered by Washington.
• Oneil Cruz is getting ready to warm it up in the Winter League with Tigres del Licey, and is expected to make his debut sometime this week. 
• The Major League Baseball Players Association announced its newly elected eight-member executive subcommittee; Paul Skenes was among the winners and assigned as a player rep. The term runs for two years ad was voted on by the player reps.
• A set of commemorative coins ($5, $1, .50) to recognize Roberto Clemente and help raise money for his foundation passed the US House by voice vote on Wednesday. Now the bill is off to the US Senate for approval.

Other Stuff:

• The Winter Meetings begin today. It’ll be interesting to see what the Bucs are up to as they’re in a good position – Ben is looking for bats while the league is chasing his strength, pitching, so the opportunity to make an impact deal is knocking.

Aroldis Chapman, one & done – 2024 photo Pirates

• LH reliever Aroldis Chapman has agreed to a one-year deal worth $10.75M (he made $10.5M with Pittsburgh last season) with the Red Sox after slashing 5-5-14/3.79/14K per 9 IP for the Bucs in ’24. That leaves the Pirates with Joey Wentz as the only bullpen lefty on the 40-man roster as Ryan Borucki and Jalen Beeks are both currently FA’s. 
• RHP Holmes stayed in the Big Apple but switched ballyards. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports that Holmes and the New York Mets agreed on a three-year/$38M contract with an opt-out after the second year. The Mets plan to turn Holmes into a starter. The 31-year-old has started four games, all in 2018 as a Pittsburgh rookie, during his seven MLB seasons. NY also signed OF Edward Olivares (.224 in 55 Pirates games last year) to a minor league NRI deal.
• The White Sox agreed to a minor league deal with ex-Bucco OF Calvin Mitchell, 25, and he’ll be a non-roster invitee next spring. Mitchell played with the Pirates from 2022-23 (.222/5 HR/71 games). He spent the 2024 season with the Padres AAA El Paso club. 
• RHP Kyle Keller, 31, who made 32 appearances for the Pirates in 2021 (1–1/6.48/10K per 9 IP) signed up for a fourth season in Japan, where he’s developed into a pretty effective back end arm (6-4-5/2.12/11K per 9 IP), after fielding some offers to return stateside. 
• The decision is reportedly in – Juan Soto and the New York Mets are in agreement on a 15-year, $765 million contract per ESPN.