Braves, Pirates Swap Joey Bart For Hunter Stratton

Key Points:

• The Atlanta Braves traded reliever Hunter Stratton to the Pittsburgh Pirates for catcher Joey Bart, designating backup catcher Sandy León for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot.
• Joey Bart, currently on the 10-day injured list recovering from a foot infection, is expected to join the Braves' MLB roster as they optioned third catcher Jair Camargo to Triple-A.
• Bart, a former second overall draft pick and Georgia Tech product, has struggled to meet expectations but showed some improvement with Pittsburgh before his injury; the Pirates have since favored younger catchers Endy Rodríguez and Henry Davis.
• Hunter Stratton returns to Pittsburgh as bullpen depth, having previously spent nearly a decade in their system; he has a 3.75 ERA in 60 MLB appearances but has mostly pitched in the minors this season.
• The Braves absorb Bart’s $2.53 million salary and luxury tax overage fees, while León, a veteran backup with limited offensive production, is likely to be released after clearing waivers.