The Pirates made a roster move Tuesday that keeps Noah Murdock in the organization and sends Davis Wendzel off the 40-man.
Pittsburgh selected Murdock’s contract and then optioned the right-hander to Triple-A Indianapolis. To make room, the club designated infielder Davis Wendzel for assignment.
Murdock had signed a minor league deal with the Pirates last November that included an upward mobility clause, according to Ethan Hullihen. That meant Pittsburgh had to add him to at least the 40-man roster or risk losing him to another team, and this move satisfies that requirement.
The righty has spent most of his pro career in the Royals’ system, but he reached the majors with the A’s in 2025 after being taken in the Rule 5 Draft. That stint did not go well: Murdock posted a 13.24 ERA across his first 17 big league innings before the Athletics sent him back to Kansas City in May 2025. He later became a minor league free agent at season’s end and signed with Pittsburgh.
This year, Murdock has logged 30 2/3 combined innings across three minor league levels and put up a 4.11 ERA. The more encouraging signs have come in the underlying numbers: a 63.9% groundball rate, a 31.5% strikeout rate and a 7.3% walk rate.
That last figure stands out because control has long been the issue for him. If he keeps the walks down while continuing to generate grounders at that clip, he has a real chance to carve out a role.
It also wouldn’t be a surprise if another club had its eye on those numbers and pushed Pittsburgh to act. The Pirates have spent much of the season searching for reliable bullpen help, so if Murdock keeps performing at Triple-A, another shot in the majors could come sooner rather than later.
Wendzel’s path is moving in the other direction. He was another offseason minor league signing, and the Pirates selected his contract in June to provide depth while Konnor Griffin was on the injured list. Wendzel played just two games for Pittsburgh before being sent back to Triple-A, and now he’s been designated only a couple of days after landing on the Triple-A injured list.
His big league experience is limited to those two Pirates games and 27 games with the Rangers in 2024, and his major league line sits at .118/.151/.216 over 53 plate appearances. The Triple-A track record is more respectable: .237/.341/.439 in 1875 plate appearances, including a 30-homer season with the Rangers’ top affiliate in 2023.
Wendzel has spent most of his time at shortstop and third base, though he has also seen action at the other two infield spots and both corner outfield positions. That kind of versatility, paired with his Triple-A production, could make him appealing to a team looking for depth. Since he has been outrighted before, Wendzel can refuse an outright assignment if he clears waivers and elect free agency instead.
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