Akinori Iwamura
Huntington continued the rebuilding during the 2009 season by trading all-star gold glove winning center fielder Nate McLouth to the Atlanta Braves on June 3 for outfielder Gorkys Hernández, and pitchers Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton. Another big trade came on June 30, when Huntington acquired enigmatic, yet talented outfielder Lastings Milledge and pitcher Joel Hanrahan from the Washington Nationals in exchange for outfielder Nyjer Morgan and pitcher Sean Burnett. Huntington made yet another move on July 22 by trading starting first baseman Adam LaRoche to the Red Sox for minor leaguers Argenis Diaz and Hunter Strickland. On July 29, Huntington swung a seven player deal with the Seattle Mariners that sent shortstop Jack Wilson, the Pirates' most tenured player, and pitcher Ian Snell to the Mariners for first baseman Jeff Clement, shortstop Ronny Cedeño and three minor league pitching prospects. Later that day, Huntington sent all-star second baseman Freddy Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants for highly regarded pitching prospect Tim Alderson]. After the season ended, Huntington acquired second baseman Akinori Iwamura from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for pitcher Jesse Chavez.