The Pittsburgh Pirates have sent right-hander Michael Darrell-Hicks outright to Triple-A Indianapolis, indicating that he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week.
The Pirates will get to keep Darrell-Hicks, whom they claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels in June, as non-roster depth. He posted a disastrous 8.45 ERA through 38 1/3 innings at Triple-A in 2025, but his minor league track record from 2022-24 suggests last season was an outlier.
The move to outright Darrell-Hicks is more procedural than it is headline-grabbing, but it tells fans a few quiet truths about where the Pirates’ bullpen stands — and what still needs to happen.