PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates shuffled their bullpen Saturday as they recalled left-hander Cory Luebke from Triple-A Indianapolis and selected the contract of right-hander Curtis Partch from the same club.
Right-handers Wilfredo Boscan and Rob Scahill were optioned to Indianapolis. Boscan pitched 3 1/3 innings on Friday night in a 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, while Scahill worked 2 1/3 innings.
"It's tough but as I explained to them both that we need guys who can pitch today and tomorrow and neither one of them could have," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said before Saturday's game against the Angels. "They heard what was being said and they understood, and I'm sure they didn't like it. They gained street cred in the clubhouse for what they did, though. Guys hugged them when they left and will hug them again when they come back."
The Angels' Nick Tropeano was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with tightness in his right shoulder and reliever Deolis Guerra was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake. Tropeano was scheduled to start Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates but was replaced by right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who was moved up a day in the rotation.
Luebke is in his third stint with the Pirates this season. He pitched four times earlier and allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings for a 14.73 ERA. With Indianapolis, Luebke was 1-0 with one save and a 2.45 ERA in 11 games.
Partch was 1-0 with three saves and a 1.30 ERA in 18 games with Indianapolis. He made a combined 20 relief appearances for the Cincinnati Reds during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Partch. Vogelsong sustained facial fractures May 23 when he by a pitch from the Colorado Rockies' Jordan Lyles.