MLB Trade Rumors: Pirates' Josh Harrison Clears Waivers, Currently Has Injury

As he deals with a minor hamstring injury, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison must wait to find out what's next.

Jon Heyman of Fancred reported Tuesday that Harrison cleared waivers. Any team interested needs to move quickly, though, as players must be acquired by Aug. 31 to be postseason-eligible.

Harrison has made just one start since suffering a strained left hamstring Aug. 19. When he returned to the starting lineup Saturday, he made an early exit after tweaking his hamstring. According to Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the infielder does not plan on going on the disabled list.

A two-time All-Star, Harrison is in the midst of a disappointing season at the plate. He is slashing just .257/.299/.365 with seven home runs, 11 doubles, one triple, three stolen bases and 33 RBI. While he has never been known for power, he is coming off a season in which he produced 44 extra-base hits.

Since becoming a regular in the Pirates' lineup in 2014, he has never hit below .272 for a full season. If he is unable to get things back on track, though, it would mark the fourth consecutive season in which he has seen his average drop.

Pittsburgh surprised many by buying at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, giving up a package of top prospects for Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris Archer. However, an 8-15 August has dropped the Pirates (64-67) below .500 and likely out of playoff contention. They are 13.5 games back in the National League Central and 8.5 back in the NL wild-card race.

As a result, the organization may look to shed salary by moving veterans.

Harrison is making $10 million in 2018, per Spotrac. His contract includes a $10.5 million club option for next season and an $11.5 million club option for 2020.