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UPDATE 11:30 p.m. ET: Pittsburgh has indeed added Brandon Inge on a minor-league deal, a source has confirmed to Tom Singer of MLB.com.
Inge will likely battle in camp to earn an infield bench spot with the Bucs, and could take on a utility role.
ORIGINAL: The Pirates are close to signing free-agent third baseman Brandon Inge, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.
The deal would be a minor-league one and would include an invite to Spring Training. Pittsburgh has incumbent third baseman Pedro Alvarez.
Inge is coming off surgery on his right-shoulder, which is his throwing arm. He played for Oakland and Detroit during the 2012 season.
Inge, 35, is unlikely to be able to get a full-time role at this point, so the Pirates may just be inviting him for his veteran presence and to see if he has anything left in the tank.
The article mentions that many scouts believe Inge could be more useful in the National League as a utility player, so it will be an interesting story to follow in Pirates camp.
Inge played for the Tigers every year of his career until last year, when he was released from the team and Oakland picked him up.
