PHOENIX — The Pirates flip-flopped two bench pieces Friday, calling up corner infielder Jason Rogers and optioning utilityman Cole Figueroa to Class AAA Indianapolis, and remained with an unbalanced roster — an eight-man bullpen outweighing a four-man bench.
Manager Clint Hurdle’s explanation was rather simple. The Pirates, he said, have back-to-back series at hitter-friendly ballparks, Chase Field in Phoenix and Coors Field in Denver, and therefore have a bigger need in the bullpen than for help off the bench.
The move meant Figueroa was bound for Indianapolis. The lone rookie position player on the Pirates active roster, he made a highlight-reel play Thursday in the Pirates’ series-finale win against the San Diego Padres, but was hitless in nine at-bats this month.