The Pittsburgh Pirates entered this Winter Meetings with zero left-handed pitchers on their 40-man roster. Now as they wrap up the meetings with the Rule 5 draft, Ben Cherington and crew will leave with two.
Jarlín García started things off, with the Pirates agreeing to a deal with the free agent that included a team option for the following season. He’s a veteran of nearly 300 games, and has experience in pitching in high-leverage situations.
That’ll allow the Pirates to use their Rule 5 pick, Jose Hernandez, in less pressure situations, easing him into the jump he will make from Double-A to the Majors.