Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Inks deal with Pittsburgh
Rotowire
Heineman signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Monday, which includes an invitation to spring training, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Heineman will be brought in to compete for the big-league catching job, a position that has become increasingly thin for Pittsburgh since the end of the 2022 campaign. Endy Rodriguez will also get a shot to win the job as one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball. Heineman spent 62 games in the major leagues a season ago, slashing .217/.276/.268 with nine RBI, one stolen base and 16 runs scored during stops in Pittsburgh and Toronto.
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Tyler Heineman: Enters free agency
Rotowire
The Pirates declined to tender Heineman a contract for 2023, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Thrust into a regular role with Pittsburgh after joining the team on a waiver claim, Heineman slumped to a .211/.277/.254 line in 52 games with the Pirates. He missed time due to a groin injury and a concussion. His experience could keep him around the game for a while yet as catching depth is always in demand.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: DFA'd by Pittsburgh
Rotowire
Heineman was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Tuesday.
Heineman appeared in 62 games between the Pirates and Blue Jays last season and had a .217/.276/.268 slash line, and he won't stick on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster through the offseason.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Back from IL
Rotowire
Heineman (concussion) was activated from the 7-day injured list and is starting behind the plate Sunday against the Cardinals, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
Heineman has been unavailable for the past week-plus with a concussion, but he's cleared the necessary protocols and is back in the lineup Sunday. The 31-year-old had a .916 OPS over eight games in September prior to his stint on the injured list.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Placed on 7-day IL
Rotowire
Heineman (concussion) was placed on the 7-day injured list Friday, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
Heineman was slashing .364/.462/.455 over the past three weeks, but he will now be forced to sit out for at least a week. Ji-hwan Bae joins the active roster in his place.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: On bench again
Rotowire
Heineman is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Brewers, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Heineman had been scheduled to catch for the Pirates in Monday's 7-5 loss in the series opener, only to be scratched due to "manager's discretion," per Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Skipper Derek Shelton will keep Heineman on the bench Tuesday for a third straight contest, with each absence from the lineup coming against a right-handed starting pitcher. Jason Delay seems to have unseated Heineman as Shelton's preferred option behind the plate.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Late scratch Monday
Rotowire
Heineman is no longer in the starting lineup for Monday's game against Milwaukee, Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Heineman was initially penciled into the starting lineup behind the dish, but he's since been removed due "manager's discretion," per Persak. Jason Delay will handle the catching duties and bat ninth as a result.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Gets Sunday off
Rotowire
Heineman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Heineman and Jason Delay have now alternated turns behind the plate in each of the past 10 games, with the two backstops drawing five starts apiece. Expect the timeshare to remain in place unless of one of the two catchers clearly separates himself from the other from a performance standpoint.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Day off Friday
Rotowire
Heineman isn't starting Friday against the Phillies.
Heineman has alternated starts behind the dish with Jason Delay recently and will head to the bench after he went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk Wednesday against Atlanta. Delay is starting at catcher and batting ninth.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Takes seat Tuesday
Rotowire
Heineman is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against Atlanta.
The switch-hitting Heineman will bow out of the starting nine versus Atlanta southpaw Max Fried, with the righty-hitting Jason Delay getting the nod at catcher. The two backstops are expected to work in a timeshare moving forward, with Heineman likely drawing most of the starts versus right-handed pitching.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Sits against southpaw
Rotowire
Heineman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
The switch-hitting Heineman will give way to the righty-hitting Jason Delay at catcher while southpaw Mike Minor takes the hill for Cincinnati. Heineman appears set to occupy the large side of a platoon at catcher following his return from the injured list Wednesday.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Sitting Friday
Rotowire
Heineman is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Reds.
Heineman will get a breather after he went 1-for-4 in Thursday's win over the Red Sox, his first game back from a groin injury that had landed him on the 10-day injured list. Jason Delay will start at catcher and bat ninth versus Cincinnati.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Comes off IL
Rotowire
The Pirates reinstated Heineman (groin) from the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports. He'll be on the bench Wednesday against the Red Sox and left-hander Rich Hill.
Pittsburgh optioned catcher Jose Godoy to Triple-A Indianapolis to clear space on the active roster for Heineman, who had been sidelined since Aug. 4 with a right groin strain. Now that he's healthy again, the switch-hitting Heineman could occupy the larger side of a platoon at catcher with the righty-hitting Jason Delay, though neither backstop profiles as an especially appealing fantasy option.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Placed on 10-day IL
Rotowire
The Pirates placed Heineman on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a right groin strain.
Heineman was removed from Wednesday's win over the Brewers due to the groin strain, and the issue will ultimately force him to miss at least a week and a half. Jason Delay is in line to serve as the Pirates' primary catcher in Heineman's absence, while Taylor Davis' contract was selected Thursday.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Nursing groin issue
Rotowire
Heineman was diagnosed with right groin discomfort after exiting Wednesday's win over the Brewers, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Heineman suffered the injury while running out a groundball and should be considered day-to-day. Jason Delay should step in as Pittsburgh's primary backstop should Heineman require a trip to the injured list.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Leaves with injury
Rotowire
Heineman was removed from Wednesday's game versus the Brewers with an apparent leg injury, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Heineman went 0-for-2 and suffered the injury while running out a grounder during the fourth inning, and he was replaced in the field for the following frame. The 31-year-old should be considered day-to-day until his status is updated.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Getting regular work behind plate
Rotowire
Heineman will start at catcher and bat ninth in Tuesday's game against the Brewers.
Heineman will pick up his fourth start in five games and appears to have overtaken Jason Delay as the Pirates' preferred option behind the plate. Considering that Heineman is hitting .231 with no home runs and one stolen base across 117 plate appearances in the majors this season and typically hits at the bottom of the order, he'll struggle to offer much fantasy value even in leagues that start two catchers.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Drives in pair
Rotowire
Heineman went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Phillies.
Heineman did all of his damage during a five-run rally in the ninth inning by delivering a two-run single, before coming around to score himself. Since the All-Star break, he has settled into a near-even timeshare with Jason Delay behind the plate, collecting three hits across 10 at-bats. Overall, Heineman has a .218/.269/.267 slash line across 110 plate appearances on the season.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Heads to bench Sunday
Rotowire
Heineman is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.
After going 2-for-3 in Saturday's 2-0 loss in what was his first start since July 2, Heineman will retreat to the bench for the series finale. Though he's available again after a stint on the family medical emergency list, Heineman looks like he could be the Pirates' No. 2 option at catcher behind Jason Delay, who gets the starting nod Sunday.
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Pirates' Tyler Heineman: Activated by Pirates
Rotowire
Heineman (personal) was reinstated from the family medical emergency list Friday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Heineman has been away since July 5 but will rejoin the team ahead of Friday's game against the Rockies. Although he isn't starting Friday, the 31-year-old will likely have a chance to serve as the Pirates' primary catcher after Michael Perez was sent down.
