PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — The Pittsburgh Pirates signed relief pitcher Juan Cruz to a minor league contract and gave him an invitation to spring training.

Cruz, 33, pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2011 and went 5-0 with a 3.88 ERA in 56 appearances.

He has pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, Oakland A’s, Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals along with the Rays in his major league career, which has spanned 11 seasons.

Cruz should compete for one of the final bullpen spots this spring.

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Chris Gates | Bucs Blog
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Chris.Gates@cbsradio.com