Pirates sign O'Flaherty to minor-league deal
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The Pittsburgh Pirates continued to build their pitching depth Thursday night when they announced the signing of left-hander Eric O'Flaherty to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training.
O'Flaherty, 31, was a once-dominant member of the Atlanta Braves' bullpen whose ERA never rose above 3.04 between 2009-14. Last season, however, was a struggle for the sinkerballer, as his ERA skyrocketed to 8.10.
| SEASON | ERA | OPP AVG |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 3.04 | .248 |
| 2010 | 2.45 | .230 |
| 2011 | 0.98 | .221 |
| 2012 | 1.73 | .229 |
| 2013 | 2.50 | .188 |
| 2014 | 2.25 | .205 |
| 2015 | 8.10 | .343 |
Shoulder issues may have contributed to his shaky year, as batters hit .343 against the southpaw across 41 appearances split between the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets.
O'Flaherty will compete for a role in the Pirates' bullpen, which already features a strong back end headlined by Tony Watson and closer Mark Melancon.