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The Pittsburgh Pirates have designated veteran pitcher Andrew Heaney for assignment. The move will have little impact on the team’s postseason outlook, but it could impact Heaney’s wallet.
The left-hander was approaching bonus opportunities late in the year. It appears he’ll be unable to meet his contract requirements.
Pittsburgh signed Heaney to a one-year agreement worth $5.25 million this past offseason. He was dominant early with a sub-3.00 ERA through 10 starts but has since fallen off.
Over the course of the season, he’s posted a 5-10 record with 84 strikeouts across 120.1 innings.
Andrew Heaney was nearing a bonus.
He actually hit one by eclipsing the 120-inning mark. That banked $50,000. He has additional bonuses written into his contract for hitting 130-, 140-, 150-, 160-, and 170-frame marks.
It does not seem he’ll be given the opportunity to chase those goals. He’s been DFA’d by the Pirates.
That means Heaney is no longer on the 40-man roster. It signals a likely move to the minors, though the team could also choose to waive or trade the pitcher.
Either way, it seems Pittsburgh is off the hook for the extra incentives. It’s not the first time the club’s implemented the tactic.
Last year, it cut Rowdy Tellez from the roster just four at-bats shy of a $200,000 payday.
In Andrew Heaney’s case, manager Don Kelly suggests the move was made simply to free up space for younger talent. The postseason is out of reach with the team sitting in last place in the NL Central standings. Next year is now the focus.
Heaney’s ERA of 9.00 in July and 10.13 in August didn’t help his case. He’s been downright awful of late, which resulted in a move to the bullpen, and now, his assignment designation.
The pitcher appears set to miss out on bonus money. He’ll be playing elsewhere in 2025.