For the first time since June 26, 2009, Joel Hanrahan entered the home bullpen at Nationals Park.
Hanrahan spent two-and-a-half seasons with Washington, initially as a starting pitcher, then as a reliever before he was traded to Pittsburgh. Now as pitching coach of the Pirates’ Single-A affiliate, West Virginia Power, Hanrahan returned to his first big league club’s stadium Sunday during the All-Star Futures Game as the U.S. team’s bullpen coach.
Looking down the first-base line, Hanrahan said he still recognized faces, despite how much the stadium, the home team and surrounding area had changed since he was a National from 2007 to 2009.