Pirates Relief Pitcher Moves On From Team
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have gone through a number of relief pitchers this season and another one will try and find playing time on a different team.
Pirates right-handed relief pitcher Chris Devenski elected free agency on Aug. 7 and can sign with another MLB team if he so chooses.
The Pirates had designated Devenski for assignment on Aug. 5 after they ended his rehab assignment and outrighted him to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Devenski has more than five years of major league service time and can reject an assignment to the minor leagues, which he did in this instance, instead of having to pitch at Triple-A.
Recapping Devenski's Tenure With the Pirates
The Pirates signed Devenski to a minor league contract on Jan. 7, giving him a chance to impress and make the major league roster at some point in the season.
Devenski brought 10 years of major league experience, including time with the Houston Astros, where pitching coach Bill Murphy was at prior to this season.
He was a non-roster invitee to Spring Training for the Pirates and appeared in six games, posting a 6.75 ERA, giving up four earned runs over 5 1/3 innings.
Devenski took a batted ball to the head on March 13 and eventually started a rehab assignment with Single-A Bradenton and then made his debut with Indianapolis on April 11.
The Pirates selected Devenski's contract on April 29 and recalled him from Triple-A, putting him on the major league roster.
Devenski pitched in three games, twice against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 29-30 and vs. the Cincinnati Reds on May 2, all at PNC Park.
He got himself ejected vs. the Reds after first base umpire Alan Porter decided that Devenski had intentionally thrown at Reds second baseman Sal Stewart, which he denied doing.
Devenski and manager Don Kelly earned suspensions, which after appeals ended up as two games for Devenski and one game for Kelly, which he served in the 9-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 5.
He never pitched for the Pirates again, as he went on the 60-day injured list with an undisclosed illness on May 7,
Devenski started a rehab assignment with Bradenton on July 24 and then one with Indianapolis on Aug. 4, pitching in five games total.
Pirates Bullpen Outlook Post Trade Deadline
The Pirates made four additions at the trade deadline, all of which were for the bullpen, which needed some bolstering after a great deal of struggle this season.
Pittsburgh traded for Camilo Doval of the New York Yankees, Kirby Yates of the Los Angeles Angels, Luke Weaver of the New York Mets and Lake Bachar of the Miami Marlins, all right-handed relief pitchers.
The Pirates kept three of their relief pitchers, in right-hander Yohan Ramírez, plus left-handers in Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto, while getting fellow left-hander Evan Sisk back from injury to complete the eight-man bullpen.
Carmen Mlodzinski is also now in the starting rotation, with Mitch Keller going on the 60-day injured list with a right arm teres major muscle injury.
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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.