Joaquin Benoit, the Pirates’ newly acquired reliever, will assume Tony Watson’s seventh-inning role in the bullpen, manager Clint Hurdle said.
Benoit joined the Pirates from the Philadelphia Phillies before Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline in exchange for an A-ball reliever. He primarily pitched the eighth inning in Philadelphia this season.
“It was great to be there,” he said. “Unfortunately we didn’t do as good as we expected, but can’t complain. I know how tough the fans are over there, but they were great.”
When Benoit takes the mound for the Pirates, he will pitch for his eighth major league team in a 16-year career that began with the Texas Rangers in 2001.