Ryan Vogelsong is returning to Bucco Nation.
On Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced they reached a one-year agreement with the veteran right-handed pitcher, who played for the Bucs from 2001 to 2006:
Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported it’s a one-year deal worth $2 million and $3 million more in incentives.
Vogelsong spent the last five years with the San Francisco Giants, where he compiled a 48-46 record with a 3.89 ERA. He pitched an average of 158-plus innings per year with seven strikeouts per nine innings and 3.1 walks per nine innings during that span, which included two World Series titles.
In Pittsburgh, Vogelsong was plagued by injuries—including a Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss all of the 2002 season and most of the 2003 season—and when healthy, he struggled mightily, going 6-13 with a 6.50 ERA in 2005, his only full season starting in Pittsburgh.
After a three-year stint in Japan, Vogelsong was on the brink of being out of the game, but he resurrected his career with the Giants and was a key cog in their 2012 World Series run.
He’ll join a Pirates rotation that is loaded but limited. Pittsburgh carries just four starters on its roster.
The Pirates’ pitching was the catalyst to their 98 wins last year, the second most in the majors, and the team’s starters accumulated 67 wins with a 3.53 ERA, which ranked third and fifth, respectively.
The Bucs also have a remarkable offense to lean on, which should keep them in contention for their fourth straight postseason appearance, but they no longer can feel satisfied with just reaching the playoffs.
After hosting the National League Wild Card Game in each of the last three years, losing two, their chief focus is on winning the competitive NL Central, which houses the St. Louis Cardinals and World Series favorite Chicago Cubs, per Odds Shark.
While Vogelsong is long in the tooth, he’s a worthy add for the back of the rotation and boasts the veteran and championship pedigree the Pirates will need while prospects Jameson Taillon and Tyler Glasnow continue to develop.
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