The Pirates made more September call-ups with the end of the AAA season coming last night. The next group includes pitchers Jeff Locke, Casey Sadler, John Holdzkom and Bobby LaFromboise along with outfielder Gregory Polanco.
The team has also selected the contract of Chase d’Arnaud from Indianapolis. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Pirates DFA’d IF Michael Martinez.
Locke will make his scheduled start tonight in St. Louis after being sent down during the Cincinnati series for another bat off the bench.
Sadler went 11-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 21 starts this year for Indianapolis while striking out 77 batters and walking 24. He ended the season at Triple-A with the second-lowest WHIP (1.19) among all International League pitchers.
Holdzkom, who was placed on the 40-man prior to Sunday’s midnight deadline for playoff eligibility, was in the Independent leagues before signing a minor league contract with the Pirates on June 23rd. Holdzkom was 2-0 in 18 appearances (21 2/3 IP) for Indianapolis striking out 27 and walking 10.
LaFromboise is with his third Major League team this season after being DFA’d by Seattle prior to the start of the season and claimed by the Padres. He again was placed on waivers and claimed by the Pirates on August 24th where he was sent to Indianapolis where he made five scoreless appearances (4 IP) allowing two hits while striking out four.
Polanco is back with the team after a short stint back in AAA due to offensive struggles. In his short time in Indianapolis, Polanco went 4-for-26 in seven games with a .412 OPS.
d’Arnaud is making his first appearance in a Pirates uniform since the 2012 season. In AAA this season, d’Arnaud hit .250 with 16 doubles, nine triples, two home runs and 23 RBI in 118 games this season. He finished the season at Triple-A ranked second in the league in triples and tied for third with 30 stolen bases.
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