Pittsburgh Pirates at Washington Nationals

In their ongoing quest to solidify the bullpen, the Pirates called upon a new -- albeit familiar -- reliever on Saturday morning. Pittsburgh recalled right-hander Hunter Stratton from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to the club's 7-1 win over the Nationals. With the early 11 a.m. ET start time due to the Fourth of July, Stratton arrived at Nationals Park just 90 minutes before first pitch. Fortunately, it didn't take long to settle in. "It feels like home," Stratton said. "Just that familiarity, that's what I was stoked about. … This is the team that I came up with, and I'm just looking forward to getting back out there and helping them." Given the rushed travel schedule, the Pirates understandably gave Stratton an extra day to re-acclimate. Starter Braxton Ashcraft allowed just one run over 5 2/3 innings before handing things over to the bullpen with a four-run lead. Pittsburgh added a couple of insurance runs in the eighth while Stratton watched it all from the visitors’ bullpen in left-center field. Stratton first joined the organization in 2017, when the Pirates selected him in the 16th round of the MLB Draft. He grinded his way through Pittsburgh's farm system over the next half-decade before ultimately making his MLB debut in 2023. The right-hander then made the Opening Day roster in 2024 and was one of the Pirates' bright spots until a freak left knee injury cut his season short. Stratton ruptured his patella tendon while chasing down an errant throw, a serious injury that briefly derailed his career. Though Stratton returned in late April last year, he spent most of his time at Triple-A Indianapolis before being traded to the Braves on July 1. He pitched well down the stretch, posting a 2.38 ERA in 10 appearances with Triple-A Gwinnett and a 2.76 ERA in 12 outings with Atlanta. But it hasn't been an easy journey to get back to where he was prior to the injury. "Just get the body back to what it was in '24," Stratton said when asked what he focused on last year. "Going through an injury like that, a lot happens -- a lot of atrophies. Putting it back on takes a lot longer than losing it. So just getting all that back right -- and I think I got it.” The Pirates think he does, too. That's why they re-acquired him from the Braves a few weeks ago. In need of bullpen help, the Pirates swung a June 18 deal to bring Stratton back to Pittsburgh in exchange for catcher Joey Bart. "Getting Stratt back in that trade, and to see him back here in Pittsburgh is great,