PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates aren’t wasting much time to see what their new acquisitions can do.
First baseman Derrek Lee and outfielder Ryan Ludwick will debut for the Pirates on Monday night against the Chicago Cubs. Both players joined the team just before the trade deadline as surprising Pittsburgh bolstered its lineup in an effort to stay in contention in the NL Central.
The Pirates cleared a spot on the roster by designating veteran first baseman Lyle Overbay for assignment. Overbay struggled to make an impact with Pittsburgh, batting .227 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs.
Lee batted .246 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs with Baltimore before being traded, while Ludwick hit .238 with 11 homers for San Diego.
