Pirates Outright Relief Pitcher to Minors
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will hold onto one of their relief pitchers, that other teams had a chance to take on.
The Pirates outrighted right-handed pitcher Michael Darrell-Hicks to Triple-A Indianapolis on Nov. 10, according to the transactions log.
The Pirates' Recent Roster Moves With Darrell-Hicks
Pittsburgh designated Darrell-Hicks for assignment on Nov. 6, among a number of roster moves, as they finalized their 40-man roster.
Players on the 60-day injured list normally don't count towards the 40-man roster in-season, but once free agency starts, they have to get put back on the 40-man roster.
The Pirates had 43 players on their 40-man roster before this deadline, as they had five players on the 60-day injured list in Darnell, right-handed starting pitcher Jared Jones, outfielder Ronny Simon, infielder Enmanuel Valdez and catcher/first baseman Endy Rodríguez.
Pittsburgh made three cuts ahead of this deadline to get down to the 40-man roster, placing outfielder Ji Hwan Bae, infielder Liover Peguero and right-handed pitcher Jack Little on waivers.
They also then placed Darrell-Hicks and Dugan Darnell on waivers, making two more spots available on the 40-man roster.
The Pirates outrighting Darrell-Hicks to Indianapolis means that he cleared waivers and no other MLB team made a claim on him.
Darrell-Hicks' Tenure With the Pirates
The Pirates claimed Darrell-Hicks off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on June 13 and assigned him to Indianapolis.
Darrell-Hicks made two appearances at Triple-A before the Pirates recalled him on June 24.
He made one appearance for the Pirates in their 9-3 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on June 24. He pitched two innings, allowing no hits, walks nor runs and striking out two batters.
Darrell-Hicks did throw a wild pitch that scored a run for the Brewers, but that baserunner came under left-handed starting pitcher Andrew Heaney.
The Pirates optioned Darrell-Hicks back to Indianapolis on June 26, as they signed left-handed pitcher Génesis Cabrera to a one-year, major league contract.
Darrell-Hicks spent the rest of the season at Triple-A, before going on the 7-day injured list on Aug. 14 and not pitching after that. He finished with a 9.00 ERA over 14.0 innings pitched during this stint, with a .381 opposing batting average.
Where Does Darrell-Hicks Go From Here?
Unlike Peguero, who elected free agency after clearing waivers, Darrell-Hicks can't elect free agency and will stay with the Pirates.
Players that elect free agency need three years of service or a previous career outright to do so.
Darrell-Hicks will now have to work his way back from Triple-A into a position where the Pirates see him as a viable option for their bullpen.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.