The Pirates have announced a trio of roster moves, selecting the contract of righty Chad Kuhl from Triple-A so Kuhl can start tonight’s game against the Dodgers. In corresponding moves, southpaw Kyle Lobstein was optioned to Triple-A and right-hander Curtis Partch has been designated for assignment.
[Related: Updated Pirates depth chart via Roster Resource]
Partch signed a minor league deal with Pittsburgh last winter and had a brief cup of coffee in a Pirates uniform, appearing in one game and allowing three runs to the Cubs without retiring an out over three batters faced. Partch has tossed 30 1/3 MLB innings since 2013 and he has a 4.60 ERA over 855 minor league frames (mostly in Cincinnati’s farm system) in a pro career that began in 2007.
Kuhl, a ninth-rounder in the 2013 draft, makes his big league debut tonight after rather quietly developing into one of the Pirates’ better pitching prospects. The 23-year-old right-hander has 2.79 ERA and 2.79 K/BB rate over 438 innings in the Bucs’ system, not missing many bats (a 6.0 K/9) but generating a lot of ground balls. MLB.com ranked Kuhl as the 16th-best prospect in the Pirates’ system while Baseball America ranked him 22nd.
Jorge Soler Powered
Keep spinning those wheels.
swissvale
You guys are getting more obnoxious than Seahawk fans. Maybe win first before the badass talk.
geejohnny
Amen to that brother.
Lumberco.
No fair, if Cub fans have to wait for the Cubs to win, they will never get a chance to talk badass.
Lumberco.
Just like your idol, Soler. Yeah you picked a real winner there.
Clutchp
Yeah, that 3-7 in the last 10 games is so much worse than the 4-6 for the Cubs.
cubsfan2489
Yeah, and the Cubs still have the best record in the majors. Bahahahahahaha!
deadandkang
Yeah, because the Cubs having been playing great recently. Maybe try actually making contact off of Fernandez or not giving up 750 home runs to Bour before you start talking crap
HarveyD82
the cubs are having success with their rookies. the bucs should keep taillon and Kuhl. bring up Glasnow and Josh Bell.
sascoach2003
Kuhl pitched well tonight. Had good movement, helped himself at the plate. Pitched aggressively, lots to like.
Robertowannabe
Kuhl looked good.. Glasnow has to work on not walking as many. If he is averaging 5 BB in the minors that would be 7 in the Bigs. Walk a couple guys and 1 mistake in the minors might still bring you a DP. Make the same mistake in the Bigs and it is 3 runs on the board. Glasnow is close but would rather he come up and have some success ie Taillon and Kuhl than come up and get blown out. He will be up sooner than later. As for Bell, right now, not like you would get a huge upgrade. Hopefully they will pull him up for a bench bat during the next road trip where they will need some DH guys and will have no need for a 5th starter for that time. I can see Kuhl going down and Bell coming up.