Dejan Kovacevic reports on Twitter that he hears the Pittsburgh Pirates have told Lyle Overbay that he will be designated for assignment. The move wouldn’t be a huge surprise, as the Pirates just acquired Derrek Lee, and need to open roster spots today for Lee and Ryan Ludwick. By designating Overbay for assignment, the Pirates can hope that another team claims him, and assumes the remainder of his $5 M salary, which at this point would be around $1.6 M. The move would also open a spot on the 40-man roster for the eventual activation of Ross Ohlendorf or Ryan Doumit. Both players are on the 60-day disabled list, and both are expected to return no later than next week.
UPDATE 2:44 PM: The move has been made official by the Pirates. There will also be a corresponding roster move for Ludwick when he reports to the ball park. The 40-man roster has been updated with this move.
