The Pittsburgh Pirates swapped infielders and added a starting pitcher to their taxi squad who is expected to make his major league debut Tuesday, when they play a doubleheader at the Cincinnati Reds.
The Pirates added right-hander pitcher Luis Ortiz, 24, to the taxi squad from Triple-A Indianapolis. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder was 5-9 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP and 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings over 114 1/3 innings in 24 games (23 starts) at Double-A Altoona.
Ortiz, ranked the Pirates’ No. 30 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is coming off a strong start for Indianapolis where he struck out nine batters in six no-hit innings in a 5-4 loss to Omaha on Thursday. Ortiz could be in line to start in one game in Tuesday’s doubleheader, when teams are allowed to add a 29th man to the active roster.
“He’s done a nice job this year,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said on the AT&T SportsNet pregame show. “It’s one of those things where we needed a guy because of the doubleheader. A really good start his last time out in Indy, so we thought it was the right time to give him an opportunity.”
The Pirates recalled Diego Castillo from Triple-A Indianapolis, where he slashed .246/.331/.358 with six doubles, three home runs and 12 RBIs in 35 games. Castillo, 24, made the Opening Day roster and batted .201 with 10 doubles, 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 84 games with the Pirates.
To make room for Castillo, the Pirates optioned Hoy Park to Indianapolis. Park grounded into a fielder’s choice as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of a 10-0 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday.
