The Pirates are in need of help in the outfield while right fielde

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall has agreed to a $2.75 million Eugenio Suarez Jersey , one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leaving the Cleveland Indians after eight seasons.r Gregory Polanco recovers from surgery on his left shoulder. Polanco is expected to be out until May after dislocating the shoulder during an awkward slide into second base in September.The Pirates initially selected Chisenhall in the 11th round of the 2006 first-year player draft. He opted not to sign and was later selected by Cleveland in the 2008 draft.The 30-year-old can earn an additional $3 million in performance bonuses for plate appearances under the deal announced Tuesday: $250,000 each for 250, 300, 350 and 400, and $500,000 apiece for 450, 500, 550 and 600.Chisenhall hit .321 in 29 games and 84 at-bats during an injury-shortened 2018 season, when he earned $5 http://www.redsfanproshop.com/authentic-jose-peraza-jersey ,587,500. He didn’t play between April 7 and June 5 because of a strained right calf, and he played his last game on July 1, a day before he injured his left calf before a game against Kansas City.Chisenhall has a .268 average with 64 homers and 296 RBIs. He set career bests in 2014 when he hit 13 homers and had 59 RBIs.He can earn additional bonuses for finishing among the top three in MVP voting and winning a Gold Glove and the World Series and League Championship Series MVP.Right-hander Alex McRae was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.In addition, the Pirates said right-hander Chris Archer had a procedure Tuesday to repair a bilateral hernia. The team said the recovery time is approximately six weeks and Archer will be on or close to ready for the start of the season. In a pitching matchup that is common in many major league games in September, two relief pitchers will start Thursday night as the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals play the opener of a regular season-ending four-game series at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin (2-5, 6.44 ERA) will face Kansas City’s Glenn Sparkman (0-3, 4.86). The two American League Central Division teams are a study in extremes. The Indians (89-69) have won the division for the third consecutive year while the Royals (56-102) are in last place.Tomlin, 33, made six early-season starts before being moved to the bullpen. In 23 relief appearances Tucker Barnhart Jersey , he is 2-2 with a 4.55 ERA. In eight starts, he is 0-3, 7.82.Article continues below ...Tomlin’s last appearance was a relief stint against Boston on Sunday in which he pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and picking up the win in a 4-3 Cleveland victory.His last start came Sept. 20, against the White Sox when he got a no-decision in a 5-4 Indians loss. In that game, Tomlin pitched four innings, allowing four runs and eight hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.Tomlin’s only appearance against the Royals this year was as a reliever Aug. 25, when he pitched one inning, giving up one run and three hits http://www.redsfanproshop.com/authentic-matt-harvey-jersey , with no strikeouts and no walks.The last time Tomlin started a game against the Royals was Sept. 14, 2017, when he got a no-decision in a 3-2 Indians win. In that game he pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and six hits, with four strikeouts and one walk.In 26 career appearances (21 starts) against Kansas City, Tomlin is 10-5 with a 3.93 ERA.Sparkman is at the other end of the career spectrum from Tomlin, who during his nine-year career has appeared in 182 major league games. The 26-year-old Sparkman has appeared in 16 major league games, mostly as a reliever.In 12 relief appearances for the Royals this year he is 0-2 with a 4.62 ERA. He has made two starts and is 0-1, 5.63. His last appearance came as a reliever in an 11-8 Royals’ loss to Detroit in which he received no decision. He pitched four innings, allowing two runs and five hits.Sparkman’s last start was a 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Aug. 21. He pitched four innings Scott Schebler Jersey , giving up three runs and seven hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. Thursday will be his first career appearance against Cleveland.A big challenge for Sparkman will be Cleveland designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who after hitting 38 home runs with 107 RBIs last year in his first season with Cleveland, has hit 32 homers with 105 RBIs this year. Encarnacion has driven in at least 100 runs in six of the last seven years, including the last four years in a row.“As long as he stays healthy, you can pencil him in for 100 every year,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That’s nice to know, at the start of the season, that you’re going get 100 RBIs out of him.”Cleveland leads the season series 10-5.