Pirates Secure Pitcher With 40-Man Roster Move

WASHINGTON — The Pittsburgh Pirates could've lost a pitcher they valued, but they made sure they didn't let him go elsewhere.

The Pirates announced that they selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Noah Murdock to the 40-man roster and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis on July 5.

Pittsburgh needed room on their 40-man roster and did this by designating infielder Davis Wendzel for assignment.

Murdock had an assignment clause, where a team likely wanted to add him to their 26-man roster and the Pirates had to let him go to that MLB team or put him on their 40-man roster.

This is a tad different than when a player exercises an upward mobility clause, which would've required the Pirates to add Murdock to their 26-man roster or let him go to another team, which they did with left-handed pitcher Joe La Sorsa, who they traded to the Boston Red Sox on June 4.

Pittsburgh can now bring Murdock up to the major leagues and add him to their 40-man roster if needed, where they would have him come out of the bullpen if they recalled him from Indianapolis.