The Pirates introduced a collection of roster strikes this morning, headlined by the membership putting left-hander Bailey Falter on the 15-day Injured Record. 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 area 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 because of left posterior arm discomfort. Falter was thought-about day-to-day after the sport and acquired therapy from the membership’s medical workers. The hurler appeared unfazed by the harm following the sport, telling reporters (together with Stumpf) that he wasn’t involved and that they’d know extra in regards to the challenge as we speak.
It’s nonetheless not fully clear how severe the harm is or how lengthy Falter shall be out, however the membership will at the least be with out the southpaw for the subsequent 15 days. That’s a major blow to the Pirates’ rotation as Falter has offered 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 because of 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 as we speak in Jones’s stead, however to switch Falter within the rotation it appears possible the membership must dip into their minor league depth. Proper-hander Braxton Ashcraft is likely one of the membership’s prime pitching prospects and is already on the 40-man roster, however solely only recently got here off the minor league IL and is probably not prepared for a promotion to the majors. That might depart Pittsburgh to show to a non-roster veteran akin to Jake Woodford or Domingo German seeking innings.
Within the meantime, the membership will flip to Honeywell with a purpose to deepen their bullpen combine. The 29-year-old righty signed a minor league cope with Pittsburgh again in February and is greatest identified for his time within the Rays system as a prime prospect. A prolonged collection 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 fee and a ten.1% stroll fee. Making room for Honeywell on the 40-man roster is Bruihl, who the membership signed to a significant 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.
In the meantime, Davis is ready to move again to the minors after being positioned on the concussion IL final month. Joey Bart returned from the injured checklist on the finish of June and reclaimed his spot alongside veteran Yasmani Grandal within the membership’s catching tandem, leaving no room for the primary general collection of the 2021 draft in Pittsburgh’s catching combine. He’ll look to get common reps behind the plate in Triple-A, though he clearly has nothing left to show offensively within the minors given his profession .336/.472/.629 slash line on the stage.