Pirates Roster Moves: Mattson, Davis Back With Bucs
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are making a series of roster moves ahead of Saturday’s matchup with the Miami Marlins at PNC Park.
Right-handed pitcher Isaac Mattson has been recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and fellow righty Antwone Kelly was sent back down. Additionally, catcher Henry Davis will return from the paternity list and catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr. is headed back to Indianapolis.
Mattson began the season with the Pirates and had a 4.12 ERA in 21 relief appearances before he was optioned on May 20. In nine appearances with Indianapolis, the 30-year-old went 1-0 with 1.86 ERA and struck out 11 batters in 9.2 innings.
The Pirates have had bullpen struggles all season and will hope Mattson can return to the pitcher he was last year, when he went 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 44 appearances out of the bullpen.
Kelly was recalled from Indianapolis on Friday and made his debut in Pittsburgh’s loss to the Marlins. The 22-year-old allowed two runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.
Davis was placed on the paternity list on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has totaled 45 games this season and carries a .138/.241/.285 batting line with three doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI. He leads baseball with a 52.6 caught stealing percentage.
Flores replaced Davis during his three-day absence and appeared in a pair of games. He drew a walk in his lone plate appearances as a late-game substitution on Wednesday night against the Dodgers and hit his first-career home run as part of a two-hit, two-RBI performance on Thursday.
Taxi Squad Update
Additionally, the Pirates have placed right-handed pitcher Brandan Bidois on the taxi squad and returned catcher Shawn Ross to Indianapolis. Bidois, who was optioned on Friday, has a 4.05 ERA in 12 appearances with the Pirates on the year. Ross had been on the taxi squad since Thursday.
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