UT Sean Rodriguez and the Pirates finalized a one-year, $2.5 million free agent contract Thursday.The 30-year-old played first base, second base, shortstop and outfield for the Pirates this year, batting .246 with a .642 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 139 games.

UT Sean Rodriguez agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million free agent contract with the Pirates on Tuesday."I love the team, I love the manager, I love the opportunity they gave me," Rodriguez told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "It's hard to find a situation like the Pirates have, so I'm really happy to be coming back."The 30-year-old played first base, second base, shortstop and outfield for the Pirates this year, batting .246 with a .642 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 139 games.

Rodriguez is starting at first base in the Wild Card matchup against the Cubs.

Rodriguez, mainly relegated to a pinch-hit role during the month of September, will get the start over Pedro Alvarez at first base and hit eighth in the lineup with manager Clint Hurdle ever conscious of the Alvarez's defensive woes this season. Considering his lack of power, Rodriguez will likely give way to a pinch-hitter at some point in the contest, but he should at least get a few at-bats against Cubs starter Jake Arrieta before that happens.

Rodriguez will start at shortstop Monday afternoon in Cincinnati, Stehen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Rodriguez hit a two-run homer Sunday and has 12 hits in his last 18 at-bats. He's made just two appearances at shortstop in 115 games played in 2015.

Rodriguez went 3-for-4 Saturday and is batting .385 (20-for-52) in August.

Despite the run, Rodriguez has no homers or stolen bases and just four RBI since July. His playing time is not guaranteed, so teams interested in using him need to check daily lineups. For the season, Rodriguez is slashing .254/.282/.353 with three homers and 10 RBI in 201 at-bats.

Rodriguez made a rare start at second base Wednesday and went 3-for-4 with an RBI against Arizona.

Manager Clint Hurdle uses Rodriguez as a defensive replacement on a nightly basis. His offense has deserted him for much of the season, however, as a career-worst .577 OPS and 4:53 BB:K ratio indicate.

Rodriguez served as Pittsburgh's third baseman Sunday after Jordy Mercer left with a lower leg injury.

Jung-Ho Kang moved from third to shortstop, opening up the spot. Rodriguez went hitless in four at-bats against the Brewers and is batting .147 in 102 at-bats since May 11. He's better suited as a utilityman than as an everyday player.

Rodriguez went 1-for-3 and scored the winning run after leaning into a pitch for an HBP Tuesday.

He started the game in left field and ended it at first base, showing off the versatility which figures to earn him additional playing time with Josh Harrison out for six weeks. Rodriguez has the ability to get hot for stretches and might be worth a look now, given his increased opportunity.

Rodriguez is batting .135 (5-for-37) since May 11 after grounding into a double play in his lone at-bat Wednesday.

He's playing sparingly around the infield and is sometimes used as a late-inning defensive replacement for Pedro Alvarez at first base. After a hot start in April, Rodriguez has come back down to earth.

Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk Sunday against St. Louis.

He's stinging the ball to the tune of a .406 batting average in 32 at-bats. Rodriguez narrowly missed connecting on his second dinger of the year Sunday, with a towering shot that hooked just foul. He's already played at least five games at first base and in the outfield, in addition to two games at second base.

Rodriguez, who took over for Starling Marte in left field Saturday, figures to get the starting nod in left or elsewhere with the quick turnaround of a Sunday afternoon tilt.

The utilityman is off to a nice start, ringing up 11 hits in 29 at-bats for a .379 batting average. His 0:8 K:BB ratio foretells troubles ahead, but for Sunday he could continue his early season success -- provided he gets the opportunity.

Rodriguez took advantage of a start in left field Thursday against the Cubs, going 1-for-4 with his first homer of the year.

The start was his second in three days, thanks to days of rest for Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen, but expect Rodriguez to retake his place on the Pirates' bench as a super-sub.

Rodriguez started in right field and went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in Tuesday's loss to the Cubs.

The Pirates haven't seen many left-handed starters -- or relievers, for that matter -- to this point in the season. As a result, the playing time for Rodriguez has been very limited. He'll likely see a start per week with opportunities off the bench providing his usual path to at-bats.

Manager Clint Hurdle plans to maximize Rodriguez's versatility in the field to keep his regulars fresh. "I have a lot of confidence in (Rodriguez's) position versatility," Hurdle told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "He can play seven positions."

Rodriguez played 23 games at second base in 2014 but he also saw time in the outfield (19 games), first base (18 games), third base (nine games) and shortstop (one game). He hit just .211 in 237 at-bats but stroked a career-high 12 homers and 41 RBI. He could provide fantasy owners with a decent in-season injury replacement, given his background.

Manager Clint Hurdle said Friday that Rodriguez has made the Bucs' Opening Day roster, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The Pirates plan on deploying the versatile Rodriguez as a backup around the diamond and possibly even in the outfield. The team has more depth than it's had in the past, and Rodriguez will have to earn his playing time. He figures to see between 200-250 at-bats, barring injury.

Rodriguez went 0-for-3 against the Orioles on Thursday and has just four hits in 26 spring at-bats.

Rodriguez will serve as a utility infielder who might also see the odd start in the outfield. The Pirates figure to match him up mostly against left-handed pitching -- Rodriguez offers a career .746 OPS versus southpaws -- but there is no clearcut path to playing time, barring injury. Rodriguez will also have to compete with Jung-Ho Kang for at-bats as the season progresses.

Rodriguez agreed to a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Pirates on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Tom Singer of MLB.com reports.

Rodriguez hit a career-high 12 home runs in 259 plate appearances last year, but his walk rate plummeted to 3.9%, resulting in a career-worst .258 OBP. The 29-year-old was afforded a fresh start after coming over from Tampa Bay in a trade last month, but he's no lock to make the Pirates' roster (especially with the addition of Jung-Ho Kang) and would likely only be a utility option if kept.

The Pirates tendered the recently-acquired Rodriguez a contract offer prior to Tuesday's deadline.

Rodriguez is in the mix for playing time at first base against left-handed pitching in 2015. He'll also likely serve as a utility player similarly to the way Josh Harrison did prior to 2014. A move to Pittsburgh won't help Rodriguez's power numbers -- he hit a career-high 12 homers in 2014 -- and it remains to be seen whether the .225 career hitter can improve upon his batting average in the senior circuit.

Rodriguez has been traded to the Pirates for a Player to be Named Later and cash, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

After being designated for assignment last week in order to clear a roster spot for newly acquired reliever Ernesto Frieri, Rodriguez was dealt to the Pirates on Monday morning. The seven-year veteran mostly struggled at the plate in 2014, posting a poor .211/.258/.443 slash, but did hit a career-best 12 home runs while playing six different positions. Rodriguez will likely serve in a super-utility role for the Pirates in 2015, much in the same way that he has for the Rays over the past five seasons.

Rodriguez was traded to the Pirates on Monday.

Rodrigruez was designated for assignment last Wednesday, but has been traded to the Pirates for cash and a player to be named later. He could provide the Pirates with a utility player off the bench, a role he also took with the Rays.