The Pirates announced they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Chase De Jong to start this afternoon’s game against the Rockies. In a corresponding move, infielder Ildemaro Vargas was designated for assignment. Righty JT Brubaker, meanwhile, will be away from the team temporarily on bereavement leave.
When he takes the mound this afternoon, De Jong will be appearing in the big leagues for the fifth consecutive season. Pitching for the Mariners, Twins and Astros during parts of the 2017-20 seasons, De Jong worked to a 7.12 ERA with poor strikeout and walk numbers (14.2% and 10.6%, respectively) in 15 appearances.
Despite his uninspiring major league resume, De Jong has pitched well since signing a minor league deal with Pittsburgh in January. Over four starts for Triple-A Indianapolis, the 27-year-old has worked to a 3.60 ERA across 20 innings, striking out a very strong 33.7% of opponents while walking an average 9.6%. It’s a small sample to be sure, but De Jong is punching out hitters much more often in 2021 than he has in any other Triple-A campaign, so the front office will give him an opportunity to try to carry over that success to the big leagues.
Vargas loses his roster spot less than two weeks after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Cubs. He’s picked up 37 plate appearances between Chicago and Pittsburgh this year and has hit just .239/.272/.368 in parts of five MLB seasons. The Pirates will have a week to trade Vargas or expose him to waivers. Having previously been outrighted in his career, the 29-year-old would have the right to reject a minor league assignment in lieu of free agency if he clears outright waivers.
Can we DFA Will Craig, please?
Once Moran is back.. maybe. but keep him on the roster after.. unless well… baring any other “big” moves.
We did once already I would imagine next week he gets dfa and Tucker goes down so Hayes and Moran can be activated from IL
Soon, no chance anyone will claim him, 20 Ks in 50 ABs. What a wasted no. 1 pick.
With Bote down, Cubs will pick Vargas back up.
Or just bring up Dee Strange Gordon
Big news…again.
Vintage Vargas Girl gone. 2 bucks on Ebay for the team needing a .110 hitter.
‘Can’t keep a job on the Bucs? Then career…ovahhhh!” (Channeling my inner Hawk Harrelson now).
What is best about Cherington thus far has beeb his ability to stockpile B-list cheapos, get em to clear Waivers and keep stockpiling em…as the trade season approaches.
Good. When you got 60 or so that can be offed…in a trade/toss in? For just ONE or TWO potential arms? Sweetens the deal.
Vargas Girl here will clear waivers. No sweat. Go down to AA (where he belongs) or exist in AAA (where it is a stretch for his limited capabilities) and wait. Wait for when Frazier and Tank Puller Moran hit the block. Then “toss em in” and get an extra arm.
Doesn’t need to be “Steve Carlton 2” as an extra arm.
Just a 20 year old arm. That understands how to “throw”…yet hasn’t yet learned how to pitch.
Load up on as many arms you can find Pirates.
(It is the only way you survive this rebuild and possibly…albeit a longshot…of turning this collection of Garbage Pail Kids into a bonafide team).
Pirates are a titanic mess. For certain. 18 holes on a 26 man team.
Got nowhere to go, but up.
(Course? They CAN defeat the Rockies. Lol. Probably gonna do that again and again…and cost em a draft pick level. Knowing the Pirates? They will draft yet ANOTHER outfielder. When what they truly need? Is pitching. Miles and miles of it. But since they “wanna beat them Rockies so badly?” Lol. They likely will. And that ‘pitcher’ will end up pitching for a team where pitching does not exist. Rockies will never win in that ballpark. Ever.)
At least…in Pittsburgh, you have a chance of the ball not being hit ACROSS the Monongahela River. In Coors? Lol. You could be Clayton Kershaw and go 8-12.
Pirates…need to sell and sell NOW. Mets want Adam Frazier. Badly.
Toss in Plunko to them (The “Meats” can afford it). They love garbage outfielders (see Cespedes, et al).
And then…finish off the dismantling of “what once was” (Pittsburgh). Every single player connected-to “Hurdleball” era? Gone.
Over 27? Yer gone too.
Rip it all the way down. And rebuild it.
I like Cherington. He is willing to give ANY player a chance. “See what they got. Give em 30 ABS on a team that will finish either Dead Last or close to it) and then trade 5 or 6 of this “stockpile of garbage” for 1 or 2 players who understand what a baseball..is.
They can’t do any worse than they’re doing.
May as well? Cliff em all
Troll
Lemming
Good bye to another sub par pick up who can’t beat the Mendoza line.. De Jong has pitched well in Indy and deserves another chance. Hope he sticks..
Who was rewarded for that great run down between 1st and home?