Free-agent Ryan Church and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in talks for a deal, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Church appears to fit the Pirates' profile for their primary position-player need, in that they seek a reserve outfielder capable of stepping into everyday duty if needed: Church, a left-handed batter, is versatile, sound defensively, and his career splits -- he bats .280 vs. right-handed pitchers, .248 vs. left-handers, with 43 of his 51 home runs, -- probably would work best in a platoon or bench role.
I know Church was (is?) something of a fan-favorite around these parts, so thought I’d pass it along.