Pirates acquire IF-OF Mark Mathias in trade with Rangers, move RHP Max Kranick to IL
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Mark Mathias from the Texas Rangers for a player to be named, adding the versatile 28-year-old infielder-outfielder to the mix for a super-utility player.
The right handed-hitting Mathias, 28, has a .256/.307/.462 slash line with six doubles, six home runs and 24 RBIs played in 46 career major league games with the Milwaukee Brewers and Rangers.
The Rangers acquired Mathias from the Brewers, along with left-handed pitcher Antoine Kelly, for right-hander Matt Bush on Aug. 2. They designated Mathias for assignment on March 3 to make roster space after signing left-handed reliever Will Smith.
Mathias batted .125 (2 for 16) with one homer and four RBIs in six games with the Brewers last season and slashed .277/.365/.554 with three doubles, five homers and 16 RBIs in 24 games with the Rangers. He slashed .322/.422/.518 with 10 doubles, nine homers and 34 RBIs between Triple-A Nashville and Round Rock last year.
A 2015 third-round draft pick out of Cal Poly by Cleveland, Mathias displayed his versatility by playing 10 games in right field, seven at second base, six in left field, four at first base, two at third base and one in center field while also serving as designated hitter in 17 games in his three-year major league career.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates moved right-handed pitcher Max Kranick to the 60-day injured list. Kranick is recovering from Tommy John surgery last summer.
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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