The Pittsburgh Pirates officially signed free-agent relief pitcher Roberto Hernandez for the 2006 season. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the deal last week, and club senior vice president and general manager Dave Littlefield made it official on Thursday. The Pirates also designated pitcher Matt Peterson for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Hernandez. Hernandez, 41, spent the 2005 season with the New York Mets where the veteran reliever acted as a setup man and ended 8-6 with a 2.58 ERA and four saves. In his 15-year career, which also includes stints with the Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, Hernandez has compiled a 64-65 record with a 3.33 ERA and 324 saves.