The Pirates released Juan Cruz after he cleared waivers and refused an assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the Sports Network (via the Miami Herald). The Pirates had designated the veteran right-hander for assignment earlier in the week.
Though Cruz pitched effectively for Pittsburgh, the Pirates needed fresh arms following Sunday's 19-inning game against the Cardinals. The 33-year-old appeared in 43 games for the Pirates, posting a 2.78 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 35 2/3 innings. He signed a one-year, $1.25MM contract with the team this past offseason.
