The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced the call-up of pitcher Daulton Jefferies for Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. Acquired in a May 10 trade with the San Francisco Giants for minor league outfielder Rodolfo Nolasco, Jefferies fills a pressing need for the Pirates. To make room for him, the Pirates have optioned pitcher Justin Bruihl, who was acquired on June 6, to Triple-A Indianapolis.
There was speculation that Jefferies might start in Colorado last weekend, but manager Derek Shelton opted for bullpen games instead. When Jefferies was scratched from Sunday’s start for Indianapolis, it was clear he was headed to Pittsburgh. Although it’s unclear how he’ll be used, Jefferies is likely to serve an immediate role in the bullpen and potentially fill the fifth starter’s spot in the rotation.
Promotion Out of Necessity
Jefferies’ promotion is driven by necessity rather than performance. In five starts for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, he has pitched 20 2/3 innings with a 1-1 record, a 6.10 ERA, a 1.742 WHIP, and a 1.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio. However, with Martín Pérez, Quinn Priester, and Marco Gonzales on the injured list, Jefferies and young Braxton Ashcraft are the only healthy options on the Pirates’ 40-man roster. Ashcraft, recently promoted to Triple-A, has only made one start there.
Other pitchers at Indianapolis with major league experience include Domingo Germán and Michael Plassmeyer, but neither is on the 40-man roster. Adding one of them would require dropping someone from the 40-man roster, an unattractive option given the 11 players currently on the IL. When the Pirates added Josh Fleming to the active roster on Friday, they had to designate recently acquired Niko Goodrum for assignment before he even reported to Indianapolis. The Pirates are reluctant to drop more players. Moreover, Germán and Plassmeyer have posted worse numbers than Jefferies. In an organization that once believed it had pitching depth, Jefferies may become the fifth starter by default.
Desperate for Starters
The need for a fifth starter became urgent when Pérez and Priester were placed on the IL in quick succession. The Pirates used bullpen games successfully, winning against the Minnesota Twins on June 8 and the Colorado Rockies on Friday and Saturday. However, these games strained the bullpen. On June 9, with many relievers unavailable, Shelton had to leave Ben Heller in the game in the 10th inning despite Heller giving up seven runs. Heller, with a 49.50 ERA, has since been designated for assignment. This marked an end to a brief feel-good story about Heller’s reunion with hometown friend Colin Holderman.
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The Pirates’ bullpen took another beating in a 16-4 loss to the Rockies on Saturday, highlighting the need for a settled fifth starter rather than more bullpen games. Jefferies’ turn with Indianapolis aligns with the fifth starter’s slot, prompting his call-up.
A Second Chance for Jefferies
For the 28-year-old right-hander, this call-up is a significant opportunity to prove himself at the major league level. Drafted No. 1 by the Oakland Athletics in the 2016 June Amateur Draft, Jefferies struggled in three seasons with Oakland before injuries derailed his career in 2022. He spent part of 2022 and all of 2023 rehabbing from Tommy John and thoracic outlet surgeries. Although the Giants moved on from him after two poor outings in 2024, Jefferies has shown he is healthy.
Bruihl, despite being effective in most of his six appearances for the Pirates, giving up four runs in 5 1/3 innings, is the odd man out in this roster shuffle.
The Last Word
While Jefferies’ minor and major league records don’t inspire confidence as a capable fifth starter, the Pirates are in a tight National League wild card race where every game is crucial. How Jefferies performs in this role could significantly impact the Pirates’ playoff chances.
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