The Pirates have launched right-hander Tanner Rainey, per the MiLB.com transaction log. He’d been in Pittsburgh’s bullpen earlier this season however had extra lately been pitching in Triple-A Indianapolis after being designated for task, handed by way of waivers and re-signed on a brand new minor league contract.
Rainey’s time with the Pirates’ huge league membership earlier this 12 months didn’t go nicely. He pitched in 11 video games however lasted solely 7 2/3 innings whereas serving up 9 runs on seven hits, six walks and a success batter. He fanned 9 of 37 opponents (24.3%). His fastball, which averaged 97 mph as lately as 2022 with the Nationals, sat at 95 mph.
Since being handed by way of waivers and heading again to Indy, nonetheless, Rainey has been excellent. He’s pitched in eight video games and tallied eight shutout frames with 9 strikeouts in opposition to 5 walks. It appears odd that he’d be launched on the heels of a run like that, however minor league offers for veterans of this nature usually include opt-out dates, upward mobility clauses and language granting the participant the proper to pursue international alternatives. Any of these could possibly be at play with regard to Rainey, who now has a 3.18 ERA, 28.2% strikeout fee and 12.2% stroll fee in 17 innings on the Triple-A stage this season.
The 32-year-old Rainey was a hard-throwing, at occasions dominant late-inning arm with the Nationals from 2019-23. Command points have plagued him all through his huge league tenure, however previous to present process Tommy John surgical procedure late within the 2022 season, he sat 97 mph together with his heater and fanned almost one-third of his opponents. Since coming back from harm, nonetheless, has a 5.43 ERA in 59 2/3 huge league innings.
