The Pittsburgh Pirates made four roster moves on Sunday, the most notable being the placement of starting pitcher Bailey Falter on the injured list. To fill Falter’s spot on the active roster, the Pirates selected the contract of pitcher Brent Honeywell Jr. Additionally, pitcher Justin Bruihl was designated for assignment to make room for Honeywell on the 40-man roster. Catcher Henry Davis was activated from the IL and sent to the minor leagues.
Pirates’ Bailey Falter Goes on IL, Among Other Roster Moves
Falter exited Saturday’s start against the New York Mets at PNC Park in the third inning due to feeling something in his elbow. He has been diagnosed with left triceps tendinitis.
We have selected the contract of RHP Brent Honeywell Jr. from Triple-A Indianapolis and placed LHP Bailey Falter on the 15-day injured list. To make room for Honeywell Jr. on the 40-man roster, LHP Justin Bruihl has been designated for assignment.
In addition, C Henry Davis had…
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 7, 2024
This injury is a significant setback for the Pirates, who also placed starter Jared Jones on the IL earlier in the week. Falter, initially an unpopular choice for the starting rotation, proved his critics wrong with a strong performance, posting a 3.22 ERA by the end of May. However, his performance has since declined, with a 4-7 record, 4.08 ERA, and 1.196 WHIP, largely due to lack of run support in many games.
The duration of Falter’s absence is currently unknown, but the All-Star break next week provides some respite.
Honeywell In, Bruihl Out
Honeywell, signed by the Pirates in the spring, joins the roster as a right-handed journeyman in his fifth organization since being a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014. In two major league seasons with three teams, he holds a 2-4 record with a 5.08 ERA and 1.482 WHIP. He has been used strictly in relief for Triple-A Indianapolis, posting a 4.85 ERA and 1.359 WHIP. It is unlikely that Honeywell will replace Falter in the rotation, indicating more roster moves may be forthcoming.
Bruihl, signed by the Pirates on June 6, has been frequently moved between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. He pitched 5 2/3 innings across seven games for the Pirates, yielding a 9.53 ERA. He started with four scoreless outings before struggling in subsequent appearances.
Davis Staying Down
Henry Davis remaining in the minors for further development is a prudent decision. He faced stiff competition to stay with the big league team, as the Pirates are unlikely to move on from Yasmani Grandal’s salary, and Joey Bart, who is out of options, is performing well. Davis’s own disappointing performance, hitting .153/.267/.235 with 1 HR, 5 RBI, and a 46 OPS+, further justifies this move.
Without a trade or an injury to a catcher, Davis’s path to Pittsburgh this season seems blocked.
