Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton suffers serious left knee injury during awkward slide

By The Associated Press

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Hunter Stratton, left, is taken from the field after getting injured in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Barry Reeger]

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Hunter Stratton ruptured the patella tendon in his left knee during the fourth inning of a 10-2 loss to Cincinnati and is out indefinitely. Stratton suffered the injury while trying to chase down the ball behind home plate. Stratton was covering home after uncorking a wild pitch that Pirates catcher Joey Bart tracked down. Bart flipped to Stratton, who missed the ball. The right-hander ran toward the backstop to retrieve the ball and slipped, with his left leg twisting awkwardly underneath him. He was replaced by Jalen Beeks. Manager Derek Shelton says Stratton will miss “significant time.”