ST. LOUIS -- Pirates manager Don Kelly said on Tuesday night in St. Louis that there would be opportunities for relievers both inside and outside the Pittsburgh clubhouse to demonstrate the ability to get consistent outs. The Bucs delivered on some of that promise on Wednesday, recalling RHP Wilber Dotel (MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 Pirates prospect) from Triple-A Indianapolis.
RHP Isaac Mattson was optioned to open a spot on the roster.
“I know the opportunity is there for sure,” Dotel said through assistant coach and Spanish interpreter Stephen Morales. “When I went down to Triple-A, my mindset was to fix a few things, or one thing that I needed to work on, and just be where my feet are and wait again for this opportunity.”
Dotel made his Major League debut for the Pirates earlier this season, allowing one run on a solo homer in 6 2/3 innings spread across three appearances. That stint included four perfect innings as the bulk reliever in a bullpen game against the Cardinals on April 27, notching his first career hold despite an eventual 4-2 Pirates loss.
“Anytime you get the experience to pitch up here in the big leagues, you learn something from it,” Kelly said. “I think he did a really good job. He pitched one day, had a day off, and then pitched in Texas [on April 21] with only one day off, which is the first time he had done that, and then had the one outing against the Cardinals, four innings, and threw the ball well.”
Though predominantly a starter in his Minor League career to date, Dotel has the ability to change games as a fireballing reliever. His four-seam fastball has averaged 98.2 mph in the big leagues this season, per Statcast, and his multi-inning background allows the Pirates to deploy him in a variety of roles, which Kelly said the team would “feel out” as they go.
“It’s nothing different, nothing changed from being in the bullpen,” Dotel added. “I’ve seen people before do it. I have a pretty good idea, and I just set my mind to go out there, just another outing, and just go after it.”
Mattson, sent to Indianapolis, has been one of Pittsburgh’s most frequently tapped relievers in the early going, piling up 21 appearances to date with a 4.12 ERA. That follows a strong 2025 season in which he became one of the Buccos’ most reliable ‘pen arms, but with his strikeout rate down and walk rate up, his ability to be freely optioned to the Minors made him the odd man out when the time came to find a spot for Dotel.
“Tough decision with ‘Matty,’” Kelly acknowledged. “He’s meant a lot to us. There’s some things that we’ve targeted for him to be able to work on when he gets down to Indy. Just looking to get Dotel up and had to make a move, and he had options left.”