CHICAGO — The Pirates sent catcher Elias Diaz to Class AAA Indianapolis before Friday’s game against the Chicago Cubs and promoted right-hander A.J. Schugel, reducing to two the number of catchers on their roster and giving them eight relievers for the final three games before the All-Star break.
Diaz, 26, played in 26 games, starting 15 of them, since joining the Pirates at the end of May as Francisco Cervelli first battled sinus-related symptoms and later suffered a concussion. He hit .271 with a .297 on-base percentage and a .386 slugging percentage during that time.
While Diaz is ready to play in the majors now, he has a minor league option, so the Pirates used it to preserve their catching depth.