Rainey was non-tendered last month by the Nationals after compiling a pedestrian 4.76 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 44/29 K/BB ratio across 51 innings (50 appearances) last year. It’s worth noting that he was much better down the home stretch, so the Pirates are going to roll the dice on the 31-year-old righty and give him a chance to compete in spring training for a spot in their season-opening bullpen.

Rainey was non-tendered by the Nationals last month even though he posted a 2.48 ERA in his final 29 appearances of the season. Overall, he had a 4.76 ERA over 51 innings in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. He’ll stand a decent chance of winning a spot in Pittsburgh’s pen.

With his velocity well down after Tommy John surgery, Rainey scarcely resembled a major leaguer at the beginning of last season. The velocity, though, did begin to get better, and he wound up with a 2.48 ERA in his final 29 appearances, albeit with pretty middling peripherals. He would have gotten only a modest raise from last year’s $1.5 million salary in arbitration, but the Nats have decided to look elsewhere for now.

He also hit a batter. Rainey’s velocity has been a big issue all spring — he’s been down about 4-5 mph from where he was pre-Tommy John — and he might have been trying to do too much to make up for it today. Rainey is out of options, but one imagines he’ll clear waivers if the Nationals try to send him down.