Overview
- The trade was completed late Thursday night when Pittsburgh sent catcher Joey Bart to Atlanta and received right-hander Hunter Stratton in return.
- Atlanta reinstated Bart from his minor-league rehab assignment and opened a 40-man spot by designating Sandy León for assignment.
- Pittsburgh added Stratton to its 40-man roster and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis, a move that resolves the club’s catching logjam.
- Bart is a 2018 No. 2 overall pick and a Georgia native who had been on the IL with a left-foot infection, and the Braves view him as immediate, experienced depth with Sean Murphy sidelined.
- Stratton, a 29-year-old righty originally drafted by the Pirates, made one scoreless MLB inning this season and represents a low-risk bullpen option for Pittsburgh rather than a major strategic shift.