Liz likely to be lost in shuffle of roster
The Pirates designated right-hander Radhames Liz for assignment Monday, ending, for the time being, his return to the major leagues after a fiveyear absence.
The move cleared a roster spot for Charlie Morton, who returned to the rotation Monday night after starting the season on the disabled list because of offseason hip surgery.
Liz pitched 17⅓ innings in 11 games. He had a 3.63 ERA, but a 1.73 WHIP, and allowed 20 hits, 3 home runs and 10 walks in those 17⅓ innings. He allowed a run in six of his 11 games.
“We believe we have another depth pitcher out there in [ Vance] Worley right now,” manager Clint Hurdle said.
The Pirates have 10 days to trade or release Liz, whom they signed to a one-year, $1 million contract after he spent three seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization and the 2014 season in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system. If he clears waivers, the Pirates can send him outright to the minors, but Hurdle said he did not expect that to happen.
“The state of the pitching industry the way it is right now, I’d be surprised if we get to hold onto him,” Hurdle said. “We’d love to. I’d be surprised if we get to.”
The Pirates decided upon Liz rather than Rob Scahill or Jared Hughes, both of whom have minor league options. Hughes has 20 strikeouts in 21⅓ innings and a 2.95 ERA, and Scahill has a 1.02 ERA in 17⅔ innings.
“We need to give credit to guys when they’re pitching well,” Hurdle said. “That option is a very valuable thing to have from time to time. There’s times when those need to be used and there’s times when they don’t need to be used based on performance, projection and value that he’s brought to the club.”
Manager defines role
At Miami Marlins manager Dan Jennings’ pregame meeting with the media, he was asked for injury updates on pitchers Henderson Alvarez, Mat Latos and Jarred Cosart. He had none.
You used to know all this stuff, a reporter joked.
Jennings laughed. “I took the tie off.”
Two weeks ago, Jennings was the Marlins general manager, the man in charge of baseball operations. Then, the Marlins fired manager Mike Redmond and put Jennings, a longtime scout and executive who had not previously coached or managed professionally, in uniform. Developing a routine, he said, has been the most challenging part of the adjustment.
Jennings received a congratulatory text message from Hurdle and “quite a few” other managers. The players’ reaction, he said, is ongoing.
“As I said to those guys, all I’m asking them is to go out and play, leave it on the field and give me the opportunity to earn your trust and respect,” he said. “That’s it. That’s all you can ask for. I’ve been very pleased with how they’ve approached it.”