BRADENTON, Fla. (KDKA/AP) – Pirates reliever Joe Beimel threw about 10 pitches in a bullpen session on Tuesday morning before shutting it down after feeling tightness in his left forearm.

He had an MRI exam Tuesday night and the team is expected to release the results on Wednesday.

Neal Huntington signed Beimel to a minor league contract last month and is expecting him to the be the primary left-handed setup pitcher for closer Joel Hanrahan.

Beimel was drafted by the Pirates in the 18th round of the 1998 amateur draft. He made his major league debut with the Pirates in 2001.

After three season with the Pirates, Beimel became a journeyman pitcher in 2004. Since then he has played for Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, Toronto, Washington and Colorado.

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The Pirates also announced the signing of 20-year-old Cuban free agent right-hander Cesar Lopez. The El Nuevo Herald reported that the deal is worth $600,000.

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Pirates reliever Evan Meek (strained calf) was pain-free after throwing in the bullpen Tuesday. He expects to be game ready within the next few days.

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