According to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates have designated right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. for assignment. The move clears a spot on the active roster for right-hander Vince Velasquez, who is being activated from the 15-day IL to start this afternoon’s game against the Mariners.
Underwood was a second-round draft pick by the Cubs in the 2012 draft and made his MLB debut with the club in 2018. He would ultimately pitch in Chicago for parts of three seasons, posting a 5.20 ERA and 4.85 FIP in 36 1/3 innings of work before being designated for assignment ahead of the 2021 season. The Pirates promptly acquired the righty in exchange for minor league first baseman Shendrik Apostel and installed him in their bullpen, where he has remained ever since.
In three seasons with the Pirates, Underwood has posted a 4.49 ERA that clocks in at 5% below league average by measure of ERA+, with a solid 3.90 FIP, a 20% strikeout rate, and a 9.3% walk rate. Those results have taken a turn for the worse this season, however, as Underwood has posted a 5.10 ERA and 5.18 FIP in 24 1/3 innings of work. Under the hood, Underwood’s strikeout rate has dropped from 22% last season to just 14% so far int he 2023 campaign, while his walk rate has climbed to a near-matching 11%. With nearly as many walks as strikeouts so far this season, it’s hardly surprising that the Pirates have made the decision to pull the plug on the 28-year-old righty.
The Pirates will have one week to either trade Underwood or put him through waivers. With three years of service time, Underwood has the right to reject an outright assignment, though doing so would forfeit his $1.025MM contract.
As for Velasquez, the veteran right-hander, who celebrates his 31st birthday two weeks from today, posted solid results for the Pirates in seven starts prior to being placed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation earlier this month. Velasquez sports a 3.05 ERA in 35 1/3 innings this season, though his 82.4% strand rate leaves reason to believe regression could be in the righty’s future.
Could be a useful piece for a team with good pitching coach. Seems like a Brewers Giants type. Mets like claiming relievers as well.
Velazquez was simply great this year. Hope he comes back and doesn’t miss a beat.
Svott Harris special right there. Kick Alexander to the curb and let pitching ciach Chris Fetter tinker with him.
You were right that Underwood has some talent but he has been too inconsistent and unreliable in close games..
The Pirates are improving and need to have better relief pitchers for the relief teams of the alternate games.
I find it interesting though that he looked so good in his inning last night.
Marin has worked very well with several others so I think that this is on Underwood.He May very well be better with someone else.
The Pirates gave him plenty of chances though.
He should have never been used in close games. They have 6 better arms. If traded claimed and I think he will it will be a loss. A meh multi innings reliever has value. Sometimes it doesn’t work out. Won’t be surprised if he does better elsewhere.
I was surprised that Shelton did so in close games,but I think that they were bad enough over the last three years that Shelton must have been testing him.
Underwood did provide a service,and mostly did that part reasonably well.
I am glad though that the Pirates are aiming higher.
Regarding Marin,too many of these young pitchers are showing too much clearcut improvement for him not to play a significant role in it.
Velasquez has been a clear example of that.His Philadelphia years were clearly like Underwood’s,occasionally looking good,sometimes excellent,but mostly mediocre to poor.
Oscar is gradually going to get a reputation as one of the better pitching coaches in all of ML baseball.
This also will be opening up a space eventually for Shelby or Bolton.
Clearing a 40 man spot for the inevitable call up of Priester or Henry Davis soon
They are at 38 now actually. Had a spot left before this move.
Ronn- Not sure what they will do with six starting pitchers let alone seven.I do think that Priester will be called up at some point if only for a cameo.The Pirates have been good at doing that.
I do think that Davis will be called up soon.It would not hurt to have him catch a few games and serve as the left handed DH.
They are also working Triolo out at shortstop as they think that players can just switch positions easily.
They are beginning to see players that may not be able to make the cut when players come back from the 60 day IL and who may not be kept when the potential Rule 5 players are put on the roster after the season.
No need for Priester. He isn’t any better than what they already have. Only call up Davis will get is to AAA. I don’t expect to see either until later Summer.
An under the radar move.
A sonar move, if you will.
Nice one!
Ex-USN here …
Really Old Navy.
:^)
A stealthy reply
Underwood’s been more useful than a lot of Pirate fans want to give him credit for. He’s eaten innings, been versatile and even closed a bit. But he’s prone to that appearance every couple of weeks where he implodes. He can pitch in this league, but the Bucs have some young pitching talent coming so Duane’s replaceable.
Yeah I think he’s going to get picked up personally. I don’t care they got rid of him, but I could see someone claiming him as well. I think they might go 6 starters for the next 2 weeks potentially.
Monkey-I think he generally has had either good appearances or bad ones with few in between,
This question is for Mendoza
Why does Shelton bat Joe 3rd in the lineup when his average with runners in scoring position is horrible?
He went 0-5 last night batting 3rd and barely hit the ball out of the infield.
Bae with his speed should be batting 1st
Paul-I do not have a pipeline into Shelton’s head.
I do not disagree with you as to his lineup irregularities.
I always thought that players liked consistency and he moves people around too much for me.I understand what you are saying about Bae and it makes sense but I know that Cutch led off with the Phillies and walks so much and is a good enough hitter that using him as the leadoff man is justified..Hayes,not nearly as much.
Joe is one of the better hitters on this team but he is no Clemente hitting third.
I also think that the Pirates may be using the computer to predict where these players are going to bat on a daily basis.Klentak and Kepler were big into statistics here,I think overly so,and did not take the human element into regard.You can see how that McFailed.
He may not be getting any negative feedback from Cherington.
In which case he should be reading MLB Trade Rumors.
He might eat innings but lately he’s been giving up runs when the Pirates offense ( last night not included) have scarce on runs
That said, i’m somewhat surprised considering he’s been a decent pitcher at times
Underwood is decent when he’s asked to come in as a low/mid-leverage reliever. But the Pirates have continously asked him to try and be an 8th inning set-up/high-leverage guy when he is clearly not that.
Back in the olden days, if you were a pirate underwood, you were being keelhauled.
We ‘ve come so far.
Pirates determined he’s nothing but a yard arm.
Every team has a bullpen guy who’ll make their fans cringe when they enter the game. Underwood was that guy for the Pirates.
He’s serviceable enough. Pirates should be able to get something back for him. I don’t see him clearing waivers if they don’t.
REACT TO ME!!!!!!
He lasted longer than most knowledgeable Pirates fans wanted him to be on the roster.
I just wonder if they’re going to piggyback a couple of SP’s or move Oviedo or Ortiz to the bullpen. Please don’t go to a 6-man rotation.
Why would they move their better starters to the pen. Contreras should be the one going there and probably will.
Scott-I did not think of the piggyback option.
If you are past a certain age you remember when starters routinely threw 200 innings a year.
If you are an oldster like me it was 300 innings.
Now it is 120-140 for the youngsters and 140-160 for the veterans.
They may go to a six man rotation for a month or so to limit all of their innings and get further looks on Ortiz and Oviedo and Contreras.I am confident that it is at least being discussed,They could also more easily segue into five if one gets hurt.I agree that Priester will be up but only later in the summer and only if they need him before September.
Finally