The Atlanta Braves acquired catcher Joey Bart from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, June 18, 2026, in exchange for relief pitcher Hunter Stratton.
Following the transaction, Atlanta designated backup catcher Sandy León for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
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Stratton will replace Bart on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster and has been optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Bart's Injury and Recovery
Bart has been sidelined on the 10-day injured list since May 12 due to a left foot infection.
Prior to the trade, he had recently commenced a minor league rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Bradenton before moving to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Pirates manager Don Kelly previously provided an update on Bart's recovery process before the trade materialized. "Progressing well," Kelly said.
The manager noted that the catcher had been recovering at his home in Buford, Georgia, while waiting for the infection to heal completely to prevent complications.
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"Things are going positively for him," Kelly added.
Impact on Pirates' Roster
During Bart's absence, catcher Endy Rodríguez stepped up for Pittsburgh, batting . 250 with an .
827 OPS over 14 games.
This performance, combined with the presence of former first overall pick Henry Davis, created a roster bottleneck for the Pirates.
Bart, a 29-year-old former second overall draft pick, was batting . 259 with two home runs and six RBIs in 21 games this season before his injury.
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The Braves optioned third catcher Jair Camargo to Triple-A Gwinnett, clearing the path to activate Bart directly onto their Major League roster.
