The Pittsburgh Pirates have recalled Steven Brault for tonight’s start in Milwaukee, and to make room, they’ve optioned A.J. Schugel to Indianapolis. It’s unclear right now whether Brault will be up for a long period of time, or just for this spot start. That could depend on a number of factors, like the health of Tyler Glasnow and Chad Kuhl, or whether the Pirates would prefer Brault to Jeff Locke or Jon Niese. It also would depend on whether the Pirates add a starter in the next few days.
Schugel deserves to be in the majors, but this is simply a numbers game, where they’re trying to keep as many relievers as possible. I’d expect him to be back eventually, and the Pirates could clear some space on the roster for him around the deadline, allowing him to return when he’s first eligible on August 8th. Otherwise, he’s a great depth option to have out of Triple-A, and will absolutely return when rosters expand on September 1st.
