Pirates sign ex-Dodgers lefty reliever to shore up bullpen

Feb 16, 2024; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds non-roster invitee pitcher Justin Bruihl (67) delivers live batting practice during spring training workouts. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer-USA TODAY Sports

The Pirates signed reliever Justin Bruihl to a one-year deal and added him to the active roster on Thursday, according to MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf.

The left-hander, who had been released by the Reds earlier this week, could be a much-needed piece in Pittsburgh’s beleaguered bullpen. The corresponding move has not yet been announced.

Justin Bruihl joins Pittsburgh Pirates’ beleaguered bullpen

Bruihl came up in the Dodgers’ organization and made his major league debut in 2021. His rookie season showed signs of promise. He only allowed runs in three of his 21 big league appearances and boasted a stretch of 10 straight scoreless outings. He mostly featured as a middle reliever for Los Angeles, earning three holds as a rookie and turning in three scoreless appearances (two innings total) in that season’s National League Championship Series.

Bruihl functioned as a “taxi squad” player for the Dodgers, bouncing between Triple-A and the majors until he was dealt to Colorado at the Trade Deadline in 2023. His stats last year reveal a concerning trend; his ERA ballooned to 5.46 (14.73 in seven appearances with the Rockies) with 11 walks to 22 strikeouts.

The lefty had spent the first months of the 2024 season with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. He seems to have found his form a bit. He currently holds a 2.31 ERA across 19 appearances.

Bruihl lost a bit of velocity on all three of his pitchers – sinker, cutter, and slider – between 2021 and 2023, which may have caused his struggles. His sinker, for example, lost two miles per hour over the three-year span, but in 2024, his sinker has rested in the high 80s and touched 91.3 mph. Bruihl’s control still seems spotty at times (he’s issued 10 walks and hit five batters this year), but he has proven that he can be used in high-leverage situations as well as across multiple innings.

Surprisingly, Pittsburgh’s bullpen has been its weakest point this season. Since April 15, the group has a 4.70 ERA, and the Pirates can certainly use a middle-inning lefty. Their bullpen lefties hold a collective 5.21 ERA this year. Ryan Borucki, who performed admirably in 2023, has been shelved since early April with left triceps inflammation. Aroldis Chapman, the only lefty reliever currently on the active roster, could be termed “effectively wild,” touching 104 mph but also sporting a 10.1 walks per nine innings.