The Pirates have recalled outfielder Cal Mitchell and right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from Class AAA Indianapolis, as major-league rosters expand to 28 players starting Sept. 1.
No corresponding moves to the major-league or 40 man rosters are necessary.
This will be Mitchell's third stint in the majors this year, most recently being optioned on August 9. In 44 major-league games this year, he has slashed .204/.241/.336 with four home runs and 13 RBIs.
The rookie has fared much better with Indianapolis, especially of late, where he hit .375 with a 1.126 OPS in the month of August.
Mitchell will rejoin what has been a crowded group of outfielders for playing time down the stretch, which includes Bryan Reynolds, Ben Gamel, Greg Allen and fellow rookie Jack Suwinski.
Oviedo, 24, was one of two players the Pirates received from the Cardinals in the José Quintana and Chris Stratton deadline trade last month. He was primarily a reliever with the Cardinals, where he recorded a 3.20 ERA over 25 1/3 major-league innings this season.
The Pirates acquired him with the belief he could be a major-league starter, and optioned him after the trade was official so he could be stretched back out into a starter. He pitched 3 2/3 innings in his last start August 27, and allowed one earned run over 11 1/3 innings with Indianapolis.
Oviedo will make his first start with the Pirates Friday against the Blue Jays.
The Pirates have yet to announce what their plans are with their rotation in the final month of the season. A six-man rotation, piggyback starters or a return of hybrid pitchers all could be possibilities as a way to manage pitcher innings and spread out playing opportunity. It would seem safe to assume that Oviedo stays with the major-league team, it will be as a starter or hybrid role.
This is the second year where September rosters are expanded to only 28 players rather than the full 40 man roster, a trade off for rosters expanding to 26 players over the course of the regular season. Teams are allowed to continue making transactions with players through the rest of the month, and the Class AAA season runs through Sept. 28 to make sure players are prepared if they are called up. Rosters are limited to 14 pitchers in the final month of the season.
