Pirates Send Rookie Pitcher Down After Doubleheader

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates got a great outing from a young pitcher, who unfortunately, they demoted back to the minor leagues.

The Pirates announced that they optioned right-handed pitcher Khristian Curtis to Triple-A Indianapolis after their doubleheader vs. the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on July 18.

Curtis joined the team as the 27th man for the doubleheader, where teams get an extra player for the two games, and heads back down to the minors following its conclusion, as the Pirates had to get back to a 26-man roster.

He made his MLB debut in the second game of that doubleheader, coming in the second inning after Pirates left-handed relief pitcher Mason Montgomery threw a scoreless first inning.

Curtis excelled against the Guardians, throwing 68 pitches over five scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits and two walks, while posting four strikeouts.

He left the game with a 3-0 lead going into the seventh inning, but the Pirates bullpen gave up five unanswered runs combined in the eighth and ninth innings, leading to a 5-3 defeat.

Curtis still made Pirates history with his appearance, marking the longest scoreless relief outing by a Pirates pitcher in his MLB debut since Steve Blass tossed five scoreless innings on May 10, 1964 vs. the Milwaukee Braves.