Pirates acquire Ron Marinaccio from Padres

The Pirates have added some bullpen help.

Pittsburgh acquired right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio from the Padres on Thursday, the team announced.

San Diego received international signing bonus pool considerations in return for Marinaccio.

Padres pitcher Ron Marinaccio delivers during the fifth inning during a game against the Blue Jays at Petco Park earlier this season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Marinaccio, 31, has experienced a down year so far this season, holding a 4.79 ERA with 38 strikeouts through 47 innings pitched.

Marinaccio can help out a depleted Pirates bullpen who is without Chris Devenski and Evan Sisk.

Outside of his 2026 season, the Toms River, N.J. native has had a rather successful MLB tenure since being called up to the Yankees four seasons ago, posting a career 3.02 ERA and 149 strikeouts through 125⅓ innings from 2022-25.

In order to make room for Marinaccio, the Pirates opted to designate Dennis Santana for assignment, who had a 6.05 ERA through 44 appearances this season.

Pittsburgh’s move to DFA Santana comes just three days after the righty got into a wild brawl with Yankees infielder Jose Caballero.

In the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 8-5 win over the Pirates on Monday, the two got into a skirmish after Caballero hit a ground out to Sanchez.

Dennis Santana (left) is restrained by teammates Rafael Flores Jr. (43) and Ryan O’Hearn (29) as Austin Wells moves in during an altercation after the eighth inning of the Pirates’ loss to the Yankees on July 20, 2026 in The Bronx. Getty Images

The two started waking towards each other before teammates had to hold them back, with both benches and bullpens clearing.

“If you get frustrated, I’m winning,” Caballero told reporters, according to MLB.com. “For me, it’s a battle in the box. I’m trying to win the battle. If you’re not concentrating 100%, I think I’m winning.”

Santana, however, insisted that he was upset with the “game speed” rather than Caballero himself.

“It was the game speed. I’m not used to that,” Santana said. “People waiting too much at home plate. It frustrated me a little bit. With baseball, you have to be quick. It’s nothing against him.

“It’s just a game. I got caught up in the game.”