Latest Report: Pirates Reinstate Pitcher From IL, Send Down Outfielder
The Pittsburgh Pirates have reinstated Quinn Priester to the active roster and sent Edward Olivares to Triple-A Indianapolis. These moves were announced before Tuesday night’s game in Milwaukee against the Brewers. With Bailey Falter recently going on the injured list and Joshua Palacios joining the team, the Pirates needed to add a starting pitcher and reduce their outfield depth.
Josh Fleming has been named as the starter for Tuesday’s game. He might serve as an “opener,” with Priester coming in to pitch the bulk of the innings. Priester is expected to take Falter’s spot in the rotation until the left-hander recovers.
Pirates Reinstate Priester from IL, Send Down Olivares
In six starts with the Pirates in 2024, Quinn Priester has a record of 0-5 with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.547 WHIP. He performed better in Indianapolis, where he went 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.069 WHIP during his rehab assignment. Veteran lefty Marco Gonzales is also on a rehab assignment but needs more time due to the length of his absence. Therefore, Priester, a first-round pick in the 2019 June Amateur Draft, was the logical choice for the call-up. This decision also indicates that recent addition Brent Honeywell Jr. will be utilized out of the bullpen.
We have made the following roster moves:
• Ended the rehab assignment of RHP Quinn Priester and activated him from the 15-day injured list
• OF Edward Olivares has been optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis
• LHP Justin Bruihl, who was designated for assignment on July 7, has…— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 9, 2024
Edward Olivares, 28, delivered some key hits early in the season but has struggled recently, going 0-for-9 in his last four games and seeing his slash line drop to .224/.291/.333. As a result, the energetic Joshua Palacios is in Pittsburgh to stay. Since returning to the Pirates, Palacios has reached base in more than half of his plate appearances and capped off Monday’s 8-2 win over the New York Mets with a towering home run into the right-field stands.
This also means a temporary reprieve for the struggling Michael A. Taylor. Taylor, a better defensive outfielder who can play center field, has an edge over Olivares. If Taylor were producing, Olivares might have remained as a platoon partner with the left-handed-hitting Palacios. However, Palacios has shown he can handle lefties well and may be given an extended run against all pitching to boost the struggling offense.
Additionally, the Pirates announced that left-handed reliever Justin Bruihl has accepted his outright assignment to Indianapolis.