Overview
- The Pirates announced on Thursday that they acquired right-hander Ron Marinaccio from the San Diego Padres for international signing bonus pool considerations and immediately designated Dennis Santana for assignment to open a 40-man spot.
- Marinaccio has a 4.79 ERA in 33 games this season but carries prior success from 2022–25 and can be controlled beyond 2026, and he joins Pittsburgh as a multi-inning right-handed option.
- San Diego DFA'd Marinaccio because he was out of options, and the Padres regain international bonus pool flexibility through the exchange.
- Santana has struggled in 2026 with a 6.05 ERA and 1.51 WHIP across 44 appearances and now enters waiver/DFA limbo with enough service time to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency if he clears waivers.
- The move addresses an urgent bullpen need—Pittsburgh's relievers have posted a high collective ERA—and the next developments to watch are Santana’s waiver outcome over the coming days and any further deadline additions by the front office.