The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled rookie right-handed reliever Cam Sanders on Friday and optioned veteran right-hander Jose Urquidy to Triple-A Indianapolis. Sanders is back in the majors after making his debut last summer, while Urquidy heads down after a rough start to the season.
Sanders, 29, posted a 3.00 ERA and 1.83 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and seven walks in six innings over seven appearances at Indianapolis this season. He said he was ready to attack the strike zone and let the defense work behind him, adding that he has learned to stay locked in because there are no easy days at this level.
The move gives Pittsburgh a fresh arm after Sanders struggled in his first big league look last summer. In six appearances, he had an 8.10 ERA with four strikeouts, five walks and two home runs allowed in 6 2/3 innings. Urquidy, meanwhile, made the Opening Day roster as a long reliever after signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal, but he went 0-1 with an 8.53 ERA and 2.68 WHIP in 6 1/3 innings over five appearances.
Manager Don Kelly said the club wants to lengthen Urquidy out in Indianapolis so he can return to the starting rotation or be better prepared for a bulk relief role. He also said Sanders had been throwing the ball well there, with a bunch of punchouts. That left the Pirates with a clean swap: a veteran sent out to reset and a rookie brought back to see if his strike-throwing can carry over this time.
For Sanders, the assignment is simple. The Pirates need outs, and he now gets another chance to provide them.
