Pittsburgh Pirates to Promote Pitcher Roansy Contreras

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 29: Roansy Contreras #59 of the Pittsburgh Pirates makes his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 29, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 29: Roansy Contreras #59 of the Pittsburgh Pirates makes his Major League debut against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on September 29, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Pittsburgh Pirates plan to promote top pitching prospects Roansy Contreras to the major league level with a corresponding move set to happen on Saturday

When top hitting prospect Oneil Cruz and top pitching prospect Roansy Contreras were sent to Triple-A to star the season fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates were rightfully upset. While, for now, Cruz is still relegated to hitting 110 MPH missiles at Indianapolis, it appears that Contreras is on his way to Pittsburgh.

The promotion of Contreras could be in correlation to Duane Underwood Jr. appearing to be on his way to the injured list. Underwood Jr. left Thursday’s season opener with an apparent arm injury after throwing just 10 pitches. However, the team could still put Underwood Jr. on the IL on Saturday, promote another reliever, and then officially add Contreras to the active roster when they’re ready for him to make a start. This is the likely course of action we are about to see.

While it remains to be seen what role Contreras will play for the Pittsburgh Pirates it is hard ot envision the team promoting him without plans of him making starts. When you have a top 100 pitching prospect who is on the brink of the majors, and already has a MLB start under their belt, you do not promote them to work out of the bullpen when you have the starting rotation the Pirates do.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are about to embark on a stretch of 16 games in as many days. Factor in the shortened spring training not allowing many pitchers to get fully stretched out before the start of the season, as well as the team likely losing their best long relief man to the IL and it is easy to see why they would be looking to add a starting pitcher.

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Odds are Contreras will be looked upon to make a start or two for the Pirates before being optioned back to Triple-A Indy. This is not what Pirate fans want to hear but by doing this they can still manipulate his service time in order to gain an extra year of team control. If this was something the Pirates were not worried about then Contreras would have likely just started the season with the major league club.

Stay tuned to Rum Bunter for all and any news that will be following on Contreras, as well as any other roster moves in the coming days.