The Pittsburgh Pirates made a bullpen move ahead of Saturday's game against the Washington Nationals, placing left-hander Evan Sisk on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 1, with left elbow inflammation.
In a corresponding move, the club recalled right-hander Hunter Stratton from Triple-A Indianapolis.
The transaction comes after Sisk emerged as one of Pittsburgh's most reliable left-handed relievers this season.
While the club has not announced a timetable for his return or reported any structural damage, elbow injuries are typically monitored closely for pitchers.
Sisk, 29, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 16th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of the College of Charleston. The left-hander later spent time in the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals organizations before joining the Pirates in 2025.
Through 32 appearances this season, he is 1-0 with a 2.23 ERA, 43 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP across 36 1/3 innings, establishing himself as a dependable late-inning option.
Stratton, also 29, returns after a brief assignment with Indianapolis. Originally selected by the Pirates in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, the right-hander has already contributed at the major league level this season and gives Pittsburgh another experienced bullpen arm as Sisk recovers. He was reacquired by the Pirates in a mid-June trade with the Atlanta Braves.
The move comes as the Pirates continue to battle for position in the National League wild card race.
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Losing Sisk removes an important left-handed option from the bullpen, but recalling Stratton allows the club to replace him with a familiar arm capable of handling multiple relief roles while the coaching staff waits for additional updates on Sisk's condition.
Pittsburgh entered Saturday's series against Washington looking to maintain momentum in the postseason race, making bullpen depth especially important during the season's second half. For now, the Pirates will rely on Stratton and the rest of their relief corps while hoping Sisk's absence is limited to the minimum stay on the injured list.
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