The Pirates are continuing to reshape the edges of their active roster, as they’re set to designate right-hander Chase De Jong for assignment and select the contract of outfielder Josh Palacios from Triple-A Indianapolis, reports Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link).
De Jong, 29, had what looked to be a breakout 2022 showing with the Bucs after bouncing between the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Mariners, Twins and Astros organizations over the first 10 years of his big league career. Last year’s 71 2/3 frames were a career-high for the former second-round pick, and he turned in a sharp 2.64 ERA with a 20.1% strikeout rate against a 10.2% walk rate while working as a durable multi-inning reliever.
Things have gone awry quickly in 2023, however. De Jong has appeared in five games and been tattooed for 11 earned runs on 13 hits (three home runs), five walks and a hit batter while only fanning five of his 47 opponents (10.6%). His swinging-strike rate has plummeted from a respectable 10.5% in 2022 to 5.2% so far in 2023.
Promising as De Jong’s bottom-line results were in 2022, his pedestrian strikeout/walk rates and favorable BABIP (.222) and strand rate (86.3%) always made some level of regression seem likely. The extent to which they’ve snowballed was hardly a guarantee, but De Jong’s track record prior to last year’s excellent showing was rough; in 98 innings from 2017-21, he was tagged for a 6.52 ERA with similarly bearish marks from fielding-independent metrics. Overall, in 179 total innings at the MLB level, De Jong carries a 5.18 ERA, 17.6% strikeout rate, 10.2% walk rate, 30.7% ground-ball rate and 1.76 HR/9.
De Jong is out of minor league options, so the Pirates’ only course of action if they wanted to make a change was to designate him for assignment. They’ll have a week to trade De Jong or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. Even if he goes unclaimed, he’d have the option to reject the assignment by virtue of the fact that he’s been outrighted previously in his career.
Palacios, 27, is a former Blue Jays prospect who’s seen brief MLB time with Toronto (2021) and Washington (2022). He’s batted just .207/.267/.232 in a tiny sample of 91 Major League plate appearances but is a far more accomplished hitter in Triple-A, where he’s batted .305/.391/.462 in parts of three seasons. That includes a Herculean start to his 2023 season in Indianapolis, where he’s tallied 60 plate appearances and logged a ludicrous .434/.500/.774 slash line with four homers, four doubles, a triple and three stolen bases (in three attempts). Palacios has drawn six walks (10.6%) against just seven strikeouts (11.7%) and seen time in all three outfield spots.
Fine with that but why call up another OF?
His OPS is over 1.000 and we can sure use some offense
Need another left handed bat
Remember when Marcano had a torrid start at Indy this year?
It never carried over to the parent club. I expect the same disappointment from Palacios
Guessing another OF is going down to make room for Ortiz who is to start tonight.
my guess, Andujar is next to be waived, after all a major league minimum salary vs $1.5 million is what this owner wants
No, he’s just not that great. Had one very good year and never did much since. Yes he didn’t have a huge opportunity but how long do you want to keep playing him when you have better options like Connor Joe?
I’m not exactly sold on Joe either but he’s better than what is currently available which doesn’t say much
He’s too much of a free swinger, strikes out 3 times as much as he draws walks
I think they have to pay Andujar, regardless. Probably had something to do with his selection. Better to pay him in the majors than the minors.
The fact that Andujar has 5 hits in 24 at bats, with 4 those coming on the night of his call up have nothing to do with it. Right, it’s because the owner is cheap, not the player can’t play.
It’s a combination of both, Grumpofm
If Andujar was hitting.300 in the same number of ABs, his salary wouldn’t matter.
But he’s a financial liability and even worthless player
I’m not sure that’s the case. The last 2 seasons it seems the higher paid player was given more breaks. Hedges, this season, Yoshi last season, are two examples. If he were hitting .300 then he wouldn’t be the next likely to be DFA.
Hedges will continue to get the bulk of the starts because he was brought in solely for how he hadles a pitching staff. We can argue on how that can be measured till the cows come home , and how much better Delay is, but fact is Keller’s start gave him a mile long leash.
Andujar will not be looked at the same. He didn’t make the opening day lineup. They didn’t keep Yosh that long IMO. Had to see if he still had something because of the torrid stretch the previous season.
I think it’s also time to give Marcano consideration for being sent back to Indy.
Regarding Delay, the Rockies were conceding a run, so my question is why Delay didn’t try to bunt to get a run in
And though it was only 1 AB, Palacios’ swing wasn’t very impressive
Yoshi was hurt for a long time last year. They dumped him right after the trade deadline. Would have been interesting to see how long he lasted without the IL stint
I agree Hedges probably will get the bulk of the starts, but I’m not sure he should. He came over a career.190 hitter, so nobody should have believed he was going to light up the scoreboard with his bat. If Delay is performing close to Hedges’ defense, and not as much of an automatic out, then maybe try him for a bit to give the team a better chance at winning. I can’t remember what site I referred to Andujar as a 4a player, but since his call up he seems to be proving me right. I don’t really care what he did with the Yankees, since he’s been in Pittsburgh, he’s been a 4th outfielder at best.
Andurjar has a guaranteed MLB contract. He makes 1.5 million whether he’s in the majors or minor. Keep looking, I’m sure you will find something else to b*tch about.
Thanks for the advice, I speak nonsense
You’re now muted
hey. truth speaker.
You sir, are MUTED.
Your retort to TheMan3 was rude, crude, and highly unattractive.
I think you should apologize to Mr. Man.
He’s LHH
apparently giving up 5 runs on 2 separate homers in an inning was too much for the team to handle
Chase De Bomb finally let go. Pirates fans rejoice.
Chase was de Jong choice to make as it turns out.
2 former Jay’s prospects. Hope Josh makes it
Right now the pirates have 14 position players 12 pitchers. I thought it had to be 13 and 13 but maybe it’s 13 max pitchers. The bullpen got an extra day off last night and there are 3 off days coming up in the next week. Maybe they think they can go one arm short.
De Jong was terrible this year so far, probably winds up at Indy doubt anyone wants him. Palacios is another bum that got hot for a few games at Indy. They are just trying to catch a hot bat.
Protecting rule 5 won’t be a issue. Jong should only eat innings in a blow out. If he goes somewhere else no loss. It’s time to give Josh a shot and see what he does.
I liked Palacios when he was with the Jays. I’m not sure why he wasn’t given more opportunities instead of someone like Tapia.
I’m not talking about rule 5. I’m saying there has to be “a max of 13 pitchers” on the mlb roster at one time. I found that in mlb glossary. So, in theory I guess 12 pitchers and 14 position players like they have now is ok. I can’t see that lasting very long though.
I agree on de Jong. No big loss. He is an innings eater at best in mlb.
I wasn’t talking to you. If I was I would have read your comment and hit reply. You think I am as stupid as theman3 and read what you said and somehow thought you were talking about rule 5 protection? You need to be a vice president.
I previously decided to unmute you, Dream, but perhaps I was too stoned at the time so, once again, farewell you nightmarish GM
@TheMan 3 You are not only stupid but a liar as well. When someone mutes you the reply option isn’t available. If you unmuted me it was in the last few hours and your comment makes it seem it was before today. I seen your wrong comment about Andujar above and there was no reply option. You just stalk me. You are obsessed with me like you are with Yankees fans.
Ortiz isn’t any better than the other young pitchers on the roster
Another loss upcoming
The organization is built mostly on the hope of the minor leagues. Most of these guys are mediocre or overhyped at the very least.
our player development hasn’t always panned out as the broadcasters would like us to believe either
This team is in such a horrible slump, our batters make every opposing pitcher feel like the reincarnation of Cy Young
Fair enough but Palacios was picked in the rule 5 minor league draft. That was the confusion. And the rest looked like it was a reply to what I said! Sorry for the confusion. At any rate I don’t see them going with 12 pitchers very long.
You are very nice. I almost feel bad now. Almost. It wasn’t a big deal. Easy to misinterpret something on here. I just enjoy being the heel and wanted to work in trashing THEMAN 3 in there. I knew he was stalking me. No hard feelings at all. I was just putting on a show. You are a mature good human being or incredibly realistic bot.
You’reABadDream, GM.
“I just enjoy being the heel…”
You’re the stuff people scrape off their heel.
Pathetically weak and not funny. Leave the humor to people who are good at it.
It wasn’t meant as humor.
Don’t leave the humor.
Just leave.
Pirates, started out great!
But you guys seem to have gone over the cliff like Thelma and Louise.
Thoughts?
yeah, they stink. This player they brought up from Indy is yet another example of how desperate they are for offense.
He was red hot at Indy but pitching in the minors is nothing like in the majors.
Everyone claimed he is a bonifide hitter but I have news for them. He’s not
No other team can go through extensive slumps like this team. My opinion, the hitting coach needs to be shown the door. There’s no reason why all 13 position players can’t hit the ball out of the infield or not strike out in record numbers
Gotcha. Good civil discourse.
Do you, indeed, remember the lumber company, Clemente, Pops, and the rest of those Forbes Field Pirate greats of yesteryear?
I wish he had ludicrous speed as well as a ludicrous average. “Whatsa matter Colonel Sanders…. Chicken?”
Jesus, can’t MLBTR get writers who understand proper English?
“Promising as De Jong’s bottom-line results were in 2022”
You can’t just omit the starting word of the sentence. It’s “AS promising as De Jong’s bottom-line results were in 2022.” Write like you’re being paid for it, because you are.