Pirates' Rivero changes name to Felipe Vazquez in sister's honor

The Pittsburgh Pirates closer known as Felipe Rivero has legally changed his name to Felipe Vazquez to match his sister's surname, according to Elizabeth Bloom of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Vasquez is particularly close with his sister Prescilla - so close, in fact, that Prescilla Vazquez has significant say in her brother's baseball career. She pushed Felipe to change agents and negotiated his four-year contract extension in January. The siblings also live together in Florida during the offseason.

The closer's updated surname will be reflected on his jersey in the near future.

"If my sister's happy, I'm happy too, so that's why I do everything for her," he said Monday. He added, "I think (the Pirates) know already, but I think they're making it, so I don't know when they're going to be ready. They might be ready already."

The hard-throwing Vazquez is coming off a career year with the Pirates in which he finished with 88 strikeouts and compiled 2.1 WAR while converting 21 saves.