With rosters needing to be cut to 28 players by noon Thursday, the Pirates optioned Jose Osuna and Guillermo Heredia to their alternate training camp in Altoona, Pa. after Wednesday's game.
A need for pitching was the driving reason for the decision to option two position players.
"Especially with Bru [JT Brubaker] starting [Thursday]," Shelton said postgame Wednesday. "And then we still have the piggyback [Steven Brault and Chad Kuhl]. We need the innings. And when you have guys that are option-able, sometimes moves like these happen.