Needing a fresh arm after Friday's 11 inning loss, the Pirates optioned left-handed pitcher Miguel Del Pozo before Saturday's game and selected the contract of right-handed reliever Nick Mears.
Del Pozo will be sent to the Pirates' alternate training site in Altoona, Pa..
Del Pozo struggled mightily in the majors since being selected from the Altoona camp, recording a 17.18 ERA and 32% walk rate over 3.2 innings pitched. He was on the mound as six runs came to score in Friday's 17-13 loss.
This was Del Pozo's second turn in the majors. He went 1-1 with a 10.61 with the Angels last year. He signed as a minor-league free agent during the offseason.
The Pirates' bullpen has been worked hard early, being tasked to pitch 64.2 innings through the team's first 14 games. That's the third most in baseball. They also have five relievers -- Keone Kela, Nick Burdi, Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz and Clay Holmes -- on the injured list at the moment.
Mears, 23, has been a fast riser in the Pirates' system, going from 2018 undrafted free agent to a 2020 spring training invite. He reached class AA Altoona last season, though just for five innings.
Baseball America currently ranks Mears' as the Pirates' 19th best prospect, and their best reliever prospect.
Mears' fastball velocity flirts with triple digits and has a high spin rate, sometimes reaching 2,500 rotations per minute. He usually throws it up in the zone.
During spring training, his catcher last year, Arden Pabst, described Mears as one-third of the Pirates' "really special" next wave of relief pitchers.
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