The Pirates have outrighted catcher Ryan Lavarnway off the 40-man roster and he’s elected free agency.
Ryan Lavarnway was outrighted off the Pirates' 40-man roster and elected free agency.
— Adam Berry (@adamdberry) November 1, 2018
Lavarnway, a former top Red Sox prospect, resurrected his career after signing a minor league deal with the Pirates for 2018. He batted 288/375/485 with Indianapolis, then got a September callup. With the team not suffering any needs behind the plate, he got only pinch-hitting opportunities, going 4-for-6. Lavarnway has no options left, so there was no realistic chance of him staying with the Pirates into next season.