Pittsburgh Pirates lose Stolmy Pimentel to Rangers via waivers

After seeming like the odd-man out for most of camp, right-handed reliever Stolmy Pimentel is headed out of the Steel City after the Texas Rangers claimed the former Pittsburgh Pirates hurler off waivers on Saturday afternoon.

Pimentel, 25, averaged nearly 11 strikeouts-per-nine last season as a member of the Pittsburgh relief corps, making 20 appearances for the Bucs. However, despite his high-strikeout tendencies, he struggled to keep runners off the base paths, pitching to a 5.23 ERA and 1.523 WHIP across 32 2/3 innings of work.

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Over the course of eight seasons in the minors, the now-reliever pitched almost exclusively as a starter, with 150 of his 159 appearances coming as a starting pitcher in both the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm systems. During that time, he posted a decent 4.15 ERA to go along with a 2.41 SO/BB ratio and 7.1 SO/9 mark.

This spring, Pimentel struggled for the Pirates, posting a 4.91 earned run average in nine games. Opponents batted .268 against him in 11 innings of work.

As for the Pirates, the club’s bullpen situation is a little clearer moving forward, at least in terms of options as the season wears on – despite its struggles during the first series of the year against the 4-0 Cincinnati Reds, a club that appears to be on a mission to prove doubters wrong this season.

At the back end are Mark Melancon and Tony Watson – who has looked better after struggling out of the gate. Antonio Bastardo, who is in his first season in Pittsburgh, joins Rob Scahill, Radhames Liz, Arquimedes Caminero and Jared Hughes in the Shark Tank, as well.

In a corresponding move, Texas transfered Lisalverto Bonilla to the 60-day DL to clear a spot on their 40-man roster.

The right-hander is under team control through the 2020 season – and is first eligible for arbitration come 2017. He is owed just over the league minimum of $500,000 this season.

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