Hunter Stratton’s Return to PNC Park Mound a Triumphant One

PITTSBURGH — Hunter Stratton didn’t have the reaction you would’ve expected from someone after suffering a gruesome looking knee injury last season. 

The right-hander tore his patellar tendon in a freak accident behind home plate in a game at PNC Park between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 24 and was carted off the field. 

“As soon as my leg blew up in August, you can ask some guys here, I was smiling an hour later,” he said standing outside of his locker stall in the clubhouse. “That’s all just part of the plan. It’s my road, my path.”

Stratton’s knee injury resulted in season-ending surgery, but his road to returning back to the mound in a Pirates’ uniform was going to take more than just a rehab process.

Stratton was non-tendered by the Pirates in November but was brought back on a minor-league contract later in the offseason. As a non-roster invitee in spring training, Stratton cracked the team’s 40-man roster but began the season in Triple-A Indianapolis.

Thanks to what has been described as a dominant rehab, Stratton was recalled by the Pirates at the beginning of their current homestand.

Just over eight months after the unfortunate injury, the 28-year-old returned to the mound ahead of schedule at PNC Park for the Pirates against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.

“No, I didn’t think it would be this quick, but I tried my best to make it this quick, and here we are now,” he said on returning. “I’m really proud of myself for putting in that work. It’s all it has been. It’s been a lot of work and prayer.”

Stratton entered Tuesday’s game in the seventh inning with a runner on first base. Seiya Suzuki, the first batter he faced, hit a two-run home run to center, but the right-hander worked around a single and a walk to keep the Cubs from scoring another. 

“Game sped up on me,” he said on making his first 2025 appearance. “I got a little antsy, got a little sped up. But I’m happy to be back. Happy to feel that again. It’s exciting.”

Stratton made his second appearance on Thursday afternoon and allowed three runs on four hits in an inning of work.

Though Stratton continues to shake off the rust, bench coach Don Kelly, who served as acting manager in the series finale against the Cubs, knows what the reliever is capable of.

“It’s only his second outing here, so really tough (to evaluate),” said Kelly. “And getting hurt last year, he’s coming off that. Seeing the way the ball’s coming out has been pretty good right now as far as the command goes. I think we’ll have to look into that. I don’t know exactly what it is as far as command, stuff, but just trying to get him back on track. He was so dominant for us last year.”

In 56 appearances out of the bullpen, Stratton went 2-1 with a respectable 3.58 ERA. He notched his first save on March 31 in Miami and his first big-league win on Apr. 27 against the Giants.

His performance during his first two appearances this year notwithstanding, the fact that Stratton appeared in game – especially this quickly –  is an achievement in itself. 

“Never a doubt in our minds that he was going to exceed expectations. This is one of the hardest working human beings that I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with,” Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said. “I know it wasn’t the performance he wanted, but to see him out on the mound and with that traumatic of an injury, it was rewarding to watch for him, because he put all the work in it. 

“We just act as guides, so extremely happy for Hunter and extremely excited to see him part of this team and to be a contributor.”