The Pirates introduced a sequence of roster strikes this morning, headlined by the membership inserting left-hander Bailey Falter on the 15-day Injured Listing. The membership chosen right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. to take Falter’s spot on the lively roster, and designated left-hander Justin Bruihl for project to clear house on the 40-man roster for Honeywell. The membership additionally activated catcher Henry Davis from the IL and optioned him to Triple-A.
Falter, 27, was faraway from his begin in opposition to the Mets yesterday after simply two innings of labor. As famous by Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, the membership introduced that lefty had been faraway from the sport resulting from left posterior arm discomfort. Falter was thought-about day-to-day after the sport and obtained therapy from the membership’s medical workers. The hurler appeared unfazed by the damage following the sport, telling reporters (together with Stumpf) that he wasn’t involved and that they’d know extra concerning the concern at the moment.
It’s nonetheless not solely clear how severe the damage is or how lengthy Falter shall be out, however the membership will a minimum of be with out the southpaw for the following 15 days. That’s a major blow to the Pirates’ rotation as Falter has supplied regular back-of-the-rotation manufacturing for the membership this yr with a 4.08 ERA (100 ERA+) and 4.48 FIP in 90 1/3 innings of labor this yr. That loss turns into all of the extra important given the membership’s placement of right-hander Jared Jones on the shelf earlier this week resulting from a proper lat pressure, leaving the Pirates with simply Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, and Martin Perez as wholesome members of their common beginning rotation.
Proper-hander Luis Ortiz is scheduled to make his second begin of the yr later at the moment in Jones’s stead, however to exchange Falter within the rotation it appears probably the membership must dip into their minor league depth. Proper-hander Braxton Ashcraft is without doubt one of the membership’s prime pitching prospects and is already on the 40-man roster, however solely only in the near past got here off the minor league IL and will not be prepared for a promotion to the majors. That would depart Pittsburgh to show to a non-roster veteran reminiscent of Jake Woodford or Domingo German in quest of innings.
Within the meantime, the membership will flip to Honeywell so as to deepen their bullpen combine. The 29-year-old righty signed a minor league deal with Pittsburgh again in February and is greatest identified for his time within the Rays system as a prime prospect. A prolonged sequence of accidents that included Tommy John surgical procedure and a number of elbow fractures left Honeywell to pitch simply 103 1/3 innings in skilled video games from 2018 to 2022, however the righty nonetheless managed to make to the majors final yr with the Padres. He posted a good 4.05 ERA in 46 2/3 innings of labor with the membership however was pushed off the roster down the stretch final summer time and ended up with the White Sox, with whom he was lit up for seven runs in simply 5 2/3 innings of labor.
In Triple-A with the Pirates this yr, Honeywell has a 4.85 ERA in 39 innings of labor with a 19.6% strikeout charge and a ten.1% stroll charge. Making room for Honeywell on the 40-man roster is Bruihl, who the membership signed to a main league deal final month. The lefty loved some success with the Dodgers early in his profession, pitching to a 3.65 ERA and 4.47 FIP in 65 appearances for the membership from 2021 to 2023. Bruihl discovered himself shipped to Colorado on the commerce deadline final yr, nevertheless, and was lit up for seven runs (six earned) in 3 2/3 innings of labor for the Rockies. The lefty struggled equally throughout his time with Pittsburgh, posting a 9.53 ERA throughout seven appearances in a Pirates uniform.
Extra to come back…
