The Philadelphia Phillies have spent the last several seasons building one of the deepest pitching staffs in the National League.
While much of the attention has gone to stars like Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez and Jhoan Duran, the organization has also cycled through dozens of relievers and depth arms in an effort to maintain reliable bullpens in recent seasons.
One of those pitchers was Yunior Marte, who spent two seasons as a frequently used middle reliever for Philadelphia. Although his time with the Phillies was marked by inconsistency, he remained a familiar face for fans during the club’s recent playoff runs.
And now, after bouncing through multiple organizations since leaving the Phillies, Marte has found a new opportunity with the team’s in-state rival.
Former Philadelphia Phillies Reliever Lands With In-State Rival
Marte signed a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this month and was immediately assigned to the team’s Florida Complex League squad, then moved to the Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis Indians, according to the official transaction log.
The move gives Marte another chance to work his way back to the major leagues after a difficult stretch that included a brief stop with the Cincinnati Reds organization earlier this year before a cut.
“Marte cleared waivers after being booted off the Reds’ 40-man roster, but he will test out free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment,” CBS Sports reported. “The righty reliever was tagged for four runs while recording only one out in his lone appearance for Cincinnati this season.”
That rough outing ultimately proved costly, but the Pirates evidently saw enough upside in Marte’s arm to give him another chance.
For Pittsburgh, the signing represents a low-risk addition of a veteran pitcher with major-league experience who can provide organizational depth while potentially competing for a bullpen role later in the season.
Former Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Yunior Marte Continues Long MLB Journey
Marte’s latest move adds another chapter to a professional career that had already taken him through multiple organizations and even overseas.
“Marte is back in affiliated ball after spending the 2025 season in Japan,” Anthony Franco reported for MLB Trade Rumors when Marte signed with the Reds. “(He) pitched in the big leagues each year from 2022-24. Marte made 39 appearances for the (San Francisco) Giants as a rookie and spent the next two seasons as an up-and-down middle reliever for the Phillies.”
During those two years in Philadelphia, Marte occasionally flashed the power stuff that made him an intriguing bullpen option. However, command issues and inconsistency prevented him from establishing a permanent role.
Now the Pirates will see if they can help the veteran right-hander rediscover the form that once made him a useful contributor in a contending Phillies bullpen.