PHOENIX -- The Pirates acquired left-handed pitcher Dillon Peters from the Angels Monday for cash considerations. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated right-handed reliever Kyle Crick for assignment.
Peters will report to the Pirates' Class AAA affiliate Indianapolis. No move has been announced yet for who will take Crick's spot on the Major League roster for Monday's game against the Diamondbacks.
For Crick, it almost certainly brings an end to his time with the Pirates, who acquired him from the Giants in 2018 for Andrew McCutchen. He looked like a future closer in waiting in that first year with the Pirates, posting a 2.39 ERA over 64 appearances. But after that year, he developed control and walk problems, pitching to a 4.96 ERA with 6.4 walks per nine innings.
After pitching just 5 2/3 innings in 2020 -- with significantly diminished stuff -- Crick appeared to bounce back early this season, not allowing a run in his first 11 outings. That early success did not last, and Crick allowed 14 runs, 12 earned, over 13 1/3 innings since then.
"It's a challenging decision," Derek Shelton said. "Anytime you need a roster spot, it becomes challenging, and I think we've seen that over the last couple weeks. Right now, we're just trying to give opportunities to other guys in our bullpen, and because of that, he ended up being kind of the odd man out on the 40-man."
Recently, Crick had pitched in mostly lower leverage roles. He had not recorded a hold since June 25.
On the season, Crick is 1-1 with a 4.44 ERA and 7 BB/9 over 24 1/3 innings.
Taking his place on the roster is Peters. The Angels designated the 28-year-old left-hander Wednesday.
Peters has spent the entire 2021 season with the Angels Class AAA affiliate in Salt Lake, where he went 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in eight appearances, all starts.
In AAA, Peters has posted good strikeout and walk numbers (26.8% strikeout rate, 7.3% walk rate), but has been burned by the long ball. He's allowed 12 homers in 41 1/3 innings, and 25.5% of his fly balls have left the yard.
In parts of four Major League seasons between the Marlins and Angels, Peters has gone 7-8 with a 5.83 ERA over 132 2/3 innings. Of his 31 MLB outings, 24 have been as a starter.
Shelton said he will continue to be used as a starter.
"Feel to pitch guy," Shelton said. "Really commands the zone. We've heard good things about him as a person. What it does, it just adds to our starter depth throughout the organization. He will continue to start, once we get him to Indy."
In his time in the majors, Peters has primarily relied on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 91 mph in 2019, the last season where he made multiple appearances in the majors. He also mixes in a changeup, a slider and a high-spin changeup, which sits around 2,900 RPM.
