PITTSBURGH — The under-the-radar move of the Pirates unexpectedly busy first weekend in August may have been the acquisition of right-handed relief pitcher George Kontos on waivers from the San Francisco Giants.
Kontos, 32, reported to the Pirates on Monday and will be available out of the bullpen Monday night against the Detroit Tigers. He replaced Jhan Mariñez in the Pirates’ bullpen, but despite their similar profiles, it seems that Kontos is in line to take a much larger role.
“He can pitch the seventh inning, he can pitch the eighth inning, he can pitch tied, he can pitch one run down, one run up,” manager Clint Hurdle said Monday afternoon.