Rangers acquire Irwin for Triple-A rotation

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Rangers acquired pitcher Phil Irwin off waivers from the Pirates to help reinforce their tattered Triple-A rotation at Round Rock. The Triple-A pitching depth has taken some big hits because of the Rangers' injuries at the Major League level.

Career reliever Cory Burns had to make his first professional start last Sunday and Miles Mikolas is tentatively scheduled to make his first start on Friday.

Irwin was the Pirates' 21st-round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft and rising through their system until missing almost all of last season because of a nerve injury in his right elbow that required transposition surgery. Irwin, who made one start for the Pirates in 2013, was 1-2 with an 8.72 ERA in 10 games at Triple-A Indianapolis.

"He has been 89 to 92 miles per hour with his sinker and he has always had a good curve ball," said Josh Boyd, the Rangers' director of professional scouting.