The Pirates designated right-hander Jose Ascanio for assignment to create 25-man roster space for left-hander Tony Watson, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). Manager Clint Hurdle will have the second lefty reliever he coveted once Watson joins Daniel Moskos in the bullpen.
Ascanio appeared in eight games for the Pirates this year, allowing ten hits, five earned runs and two walks in 6 1/3 innings of work. The 26-year-old has a 5.28 ERA with 8.0 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 46 career innings with the Pirates, Cubs and Braves.
Watson, a ninth round pick of the Pirates in 2007, has spent this season at Triple-A, where he was a 2.45 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 in 29 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old has a 3.26 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in five seasons of minor league baseball for the Pirates' affiliates.
