PITTSBURGH -- Before heading out to Milwaukee on Thursday, the Pirates optioned reliever Michael Feliz to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Pittsburgh will make a corresponding move before Friday's series opener at Miller Park. The Bucs most likely will activate or promote a position player to balance their bullpen and bench, as they had been carrying eight relievers and only four bench players the past few days.
This is the second time in a month the Pirates have demoted Feliz, who was acquired from the Astros in January as part of the Gerrit Cole trade. The Bucs recalled Feliz to provide bullpen depth on Aug. 11 but did not need to use him until Tuesday, when he allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in one inning of their 6-1 loss to the Braves at PNC Park.
The 25-year-old right-hander has posted a 6.05 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 41 2/3 innings over 40 appearances in the Majors this year. Feliz began the season as Pittsburgh's seventh-inning setup man and owned a 2.70 ERA after pitching a perfect eighth on May 20. Since then, he's put up a 9.14 ERA and allowed a .979 opponents' OPS in 18 outings.
The Pirates now have a seven-man bullpen with closer Felipe Vazquez in front of setup men Kyle Crick, Keone Kela, Edgar Santana and Richard Rodriguez and long relievers Steven Brault and Clay Holmes.