Notes: Road Weekend; Roster Reshuffle - Up, Down, Out; Pirates, Minors, MLB News

On the road and making moves...

Notes:

• The Pirates beat the Cubs, 4-3, on Thursday despite allowing the other team to score first for the 12th time in 13 games. Pittsburgh has come back to win six of those, including four three-run deficits. Pittsburgh had a Jekyll & Hyde road trip - they were swept by the Brewers, then came back to take 3-of-4 from the Cubs, with the loss being a franchise-record 21-0 beatdown. Chicago had a +17 run differential in their four-game series, the largest run differential in a four-game series loss in MLB history. But as the Bucs know, lose by one, lose by 21 - it's still just one loss.
• The Pirates are 8-8; all eight wins have been credited to the bullpen; all eight losses to the starting pitchers. To boot, Bucco opponents have scored first in 14-of-16 games; it's pretty easy to see where Pittsburgh needs the most help.
• Per announcer Joe Block, LHP Dillon Peters set the longest hitless batter streak in franchise history (since 1974) of 25 hitters. The bullpen became the first since 2001 to go six shutout innings, giving up a hit with 10 K, since 2001 during Thursday's win. Five different guys got the ball during those six frames.

Dillon Peters - 2022 photo/Pirates

• RHP Beau Sulser was called up from Indy on Sunday; OF Anthony Alford was DFA'ed to make room on the 40-man and active rosters. Sulser, 28, was a 2017 draft pick who's made three Indian starts this year, logging 12-2/3 innings with a 1-2/2.13 slash and averaging a K per inning.
• The Pirates optioned RHP Roansy Contreras to Indy and called up RHP Chase De Jong. Contreras was sent down to stretch out and work on unspecified "specific things," per Derek Shelton (probably developing his changeup while not piling up any service time). RHP Luis Oviedo, who the Bucs carried all of last season as a Rule 5 pickup, was DFA'ed to clear a 40-man spot for De Jong.
• OF Anthony Alford had his rehab stint bumped up to Indy on Tuesday, was back with the big club on Friday and DFA'ed on Sunday. Utilityman Hoy Park was optioned to Indy to clear an active, albeit brief, roster spot for him.
• LHP Sam Howard was cleared from the IL and optioned to Indy.
• Bethel Park graduate and 2021 10th round draft pick, RHP Justin Meis, allowed two hits in five shutout innings while striking out 10 batters last night for Low-A Bradenton in a 4-1 win.
• Kevin Gorman of the Trib checked out the "Pitch Com," an MLB counter-measure to sign-stealing. The device allows the catcher to give signs to the pitcher and three fielders electronically rather than via the old waggle system It seems to be working out as intended so far.
• RHP Jesse Chavez, 38, has been traded by the Cubs to the Bravos. He began his 15-year career in 2008-09 with the Bucs. To properly date that stint, he was trade for 2B Aki Iwamura, who was replaced by a rook named Neil Walker. 

Tony Watson - image Positively Pittsburgh

• 36-year-old LHP Tony Watson announced his retirement on Monday, finally conceding to an achy shoulder. The 11-year vet spent his first seven seasons as a Pirate, moving on later to the Dodgers, Giants and Angels. He posted a 47-29-32/2.90 line over his career with an MLB record 246 holds, and was Mark Melancon/Jason Grilli's setup man during the Pittsburgh playoff years (222 outings/17-4-5 record/97 holds/1.97 ERA from 2013-15), earning a 2014 All Star nod. He even left a parting gift when his 2017 trade to the Dodgers netted SS Oneil Cruz as part of the return package.
• Pirates fans will be glad to hear that long-time nemesis, RHP Jake Arrieta, 36, also announced his retirement on the same day as Watson. He was 15-6/2.90 in 26 career starts against Pittsburgh.
• Congrats to Miguel Cabrera, who banged out hit #3,000 on Saturday, slashing the ball into right for his milestone rap.