The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed 28-year-old utility player Michael Helman off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals and cleared space for him on the 40-man roster by transferring infielder Enmanuel Valdez from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL.
Valdez had been a regular at first base for the Pirates, appearing in 31 games before a left shoulder injury sidelined him.
Helman, originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Texas A\&M, spent his entire career with the Twins before being traded to the Cardinals in February for cash considerations.
Last season, Helman briefly appeared in nine games for the Twins, registering three hits in ten at-bats.
In 2024, Helman had a solid season in Triple-A St. Paul, posting a .271/.350/.487 slash line with 14 home runs, 47 RBIs, and an .838 OPS in 72 games.
However, injuries plagued his recent seasons, with a left shoulder dislocation in 2023 and hamstring issues in 2024 limiting his playing time.
Despite his strong performance in Triple-A last year, Helman has struggled in a small sample size with Triple-A Memphis this season, slashing just .185/.260/.292 with a .553 OPS.
Helman’s first home run of the season came on Sunday, and he’ll likely head to Triple-A Indianapolis, where the Pirates hope he can provide a spark for an offense that has struggled mightily. Pittsburgh’s offense set a franchise record with 19 consecutive games scoring four or fewer runs, including a tough loss to the New York Mets, despite stellar pitching performances from Paul Skenes and Mitch Keller.
The Pirates are near the bottom of the standings with a 14-29 record, despite ranking third in MLB for quality starts.
The Pirates could soon get reinforcements, as new manager Donnie Kelly looks to shake things up. Catcher/first baseman Endy Rodriguez is beginning a rehab assignment in Triple-A Indianapolis, and while he had a slow start to the season, any boost from him would be welcome, especially as Henry Davis continues to struggle. Additionally, second baseman Nick Gonzales, recovering from an ankle fracture, and first baseman Spencer Horwitz, recovering from offseason wrist surgery, are expected to start their rehab assignments soon.
