Tim Mayza aims to strengthen Pirates' bullpen

Tim Mayza is looking to make a comeback after a rollercoaster season that ended with him pitching in the World Series. Last season started poorly as he struggled with an 8.03 ERA while playing for the Toronto Blue Jays. After being released in July, he signed with the New York Yankees, where he had some success in the playoffs. Mayza, 33, has now joined the Pittsburgh Pirates on a one-year contract worth $1.15 million. He has shown improvements this spring training, holding opponents to a .217 batting average. Although he had a rough outing earlier, his ERA in the Grapefruit League has dropped to 4.50. He brings valuable postseason experience from his time with the Blue Jays and Yankees. In the past few years, he has been one of the top left-handed relievers in the league, with a low ERA and strong performance against left-handed hitters. However, he has struggled against right-handed hitters in his career. During spring training, Mayza is focusing on adjusting his pitching strategy. He wants to enhance his slider to better handle right-handed batters while maintaining his effectiveness against lefties. Mayza has also been working on regaining his fastball velocity and strikeout rate. Mayza hopes to share his experience and knowledge with his new teammates. He feels that his playoff experience can benefit the team as they work toward becoming competitive. He is determined to take advantage of his opportunities to help the Pirates win games.