Pirates Roster Moves: Justin Lawrence Designated for Assignment
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates were in need of a roster spot to reinstate Jared Jones from the injured list to start on Friday night against the Minnesota Twins. They made room by designated right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence for assignment.
Lawrence made 23 appearances out of the bullpen to start the season and went 0-3 with a 5.23 ERA. He battled control issues as evident by his 12 walks in 22 innings. He allowed 22 hits, four of which were home runs, and struck out 25.
The 31-year-old looked poised to become a key reliever for the Pirates this season after going 1-0 with a 0.51 ERA in 17 appearances last season when healthy.
Instead, Lawrence’s struggles were part of the reason the Pirates have gotten subpar results out of the bullpen through the first two months of the season. Entering Friday’s game, Pittsburgh’s relievers rank 18th in MLB with a 4.19 ERA.
The Pirates are hoping Lawrence will pass through waivers and report to Triple-A Indianapolis, but any of the other 29 teams in the league can claim or trade for Lawrence within seven days if they choose.
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