Each weekday until pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Bradenton, Fla., Post-Gazette baseball writers Bill Brink and Stephen J. Nesbitt will deliver a primer on a player or two on the Pirates’ 40-man roster. The countdown will rank players in order of impact and importance to the Pirates’ chances in 2017, plus their on-field abilities, off-field concerns and the likelihood of their inclusion on the active roster on opening day April 3 in Boston and beyond. For the full list, click here.
Antonio Bastardo, LHP
Bats/throws: R/L
Height/weight: 5-foot-11, 205 pounds
Age: 31
How acquired: Traded with cash to the Pirates from the New York Mets for LHP Jon Niese.