The Pirates have designated left-handed reliever for a signment, manager Don Kelly announced to reporters prior to this afternoons game ( ). Pittsburgh also recalled righty and lefty from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned righty . The 31-year-old Borucki has had a second straight rough season with the Bucs. Back in 2023, he turned in a sharp 2.45 ERA with a 21.7% strikeout rate and superlative 2.6% walk rate through 40 1/3 frames. Hes since turned in succe sive ERAs of 7.36 and 5.28 over a combined 41 2/3 frames while navigating multiple injuries. Borucki was out for more than a month due to a lower back injury earlier this summer, and a triceps injury limited him to just 11 innings in 2024. Even with that rough stretch, Borucki still carries a career 4.38 ERA in 252 big league innings. Hes set down 19.6% of his career opponents on strikes and walked 8.7% of them. Neither is a plus mark, but neither is Tyler Thornburg Jersey too far from league average. Boruckis career 48.3% ground-ball rate (55% in 2025) is several percentage points north of average. Boruckis minor league deal with the Pirates contained a $1.15MM base salary that locked in when he was added to the big league roster. Any team that claims him off waivers he obviously cannot be traded now that the deadline has pa sed would be responsible for the prorated remainder of that sum, about $272K through seasons end. Since Borucki has more than five years of big league service, it doesnt make much of a difference whether hes placed on outright waivers or release waivers. He has the right to reject an outright a signment in favor of free agency and still retain the remainder of his guaranteed money. For the Pirates, its an understandable decision to move on. Borucki allowed three runs in his most recent outing and has struggled for much of the season when healthy. Hed have been a free agent at seasons end, so theyll instead give his innings to younger arms who can be controlled beyond the current season. If a team claims the remaining $272K thats on his contract, its all the better, but either way his departure will allow the Pirates more opportunity to evaluate potential future pieces in the pen. Ronald Acuna Jr. Jersey