During Wednesday’s game in Indianapolis, Pirates Triple-A outfielder Bryce Johnson was pulled early without getting a chance to bat, sparking speculation among fans about a possible emergency call-up. However, it was later reported that Johnson had been traded to the San Diego Padres.
Sources say the Pirates dealt Johnson in exchange for Brett Sullivan, a utility player who primarily serves as a catcher. Sullivan had recently been designated for assignment but remained within the Padres’ organization for a few weeks. While neither player has much major league experience, there are logical reasons behind the swap.
Pirates and Padres make a minor league swap, sending Bryce Johnson to San Diego and Brett Sullivan to Pittsburgh.
The Pirates targeted Sullivan after Endy Rodriguez went down with an injury. With only Joey Bart and Henry Davis left on the 40-man roster as catchers, depth became a concern.
Bart hasn’t played since April 11 and exited that game in the first inning, leaving Davis as the lone healthy option. Although Bart could return soon, the team wants to be prepared in case of further issues.
To address this, Abrahan Gutierrez was added to the taxi squad yesterday. The Pirates recognized a need for more catching depth and brought in Sullivan, even though he isn’t currently on the 40-man roster and would need to be added to play. Sullivan has appeared in just 40 major league games over two seasons, with a 49 wRC+ and a .542 OPS.
Meanwhile, San Diego pursued Johnson after hamstring injuries sidelined Jackson Merrill and Brandon Lockridge. While both are expected back soon, the Padres needed additional depth in center field. Johnson was struggling in Indianapolis, batting just .080 (1-for-25) with a 32.1% strikeout rate.
Neither Sullivan nor Johnson is on their team’s 40-man roster, so neither is expected to be in the majors right now—though that could quickly change given the injury situations.
While Sullivan might not be the offensive spark Pirates fans were hoping for early this season, the move was a necessary one. With Jason Delay being traded to Atlanta, the catching depth took a hit, and Sullivan is now expected to fill that gap, likely at Triple-A Indianapolis.
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