The Pirates have released right-handed reliever Johnny Hellweg so he can pursue an opportunity in Japan.
Hellweg, a former top Angels and Brewers prospect, has been pitching well, primarily as a closer, for Indianapolis. He has a 1.33 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 8.3 K/9.
It’s a common practice with players, like Hellweg, who are on minor league contracts for a team to release the player when a chance elsewhere arises. It’s how the Pirates got Jason Grilli, for instance. Of course, it implicitly shows that the Pirates had no plans to turn to Hellweg as a bullpen option.