Pirates announce they have acquired right-hander Dugan Darnell Exemption from the Rockies. He was immediately placed on the 60-day injured list, so the Buccaneers did not need to clear a 40-man roster spot.
There had been no indication that the Rockies had removed Darnell from their roster. It’s common at this time of year for teams to let go of players, as many clubs are facing roster shortages. The 60-day IL ends five days after the World Series, so players need to regain a spot on the 40-man roster. Some breathing room is created by others hitting free agency, but teams generally need to clear space. Even if they don’t need the space now, having that space over the winter could be valuable for other moves, including protecting players from the Rule 5 draft.
RosterResource projects the Rockies will start the offseason with 41 players occupying 40 roster spots, including Darnell. Colorado seemed to try to open up a spot by waiving Darnell, but the Buccaneers stepped in. The Buccaneers will face a dilemma of their own, as RosterResource projects they will have 42 players competing for 40 spots, not including Darnell. So the Buccaneers will have to do some cleaning up in the coming days.
There will be more to come.
