Pirates designate former Cardinals pitcher months after acquiring him

The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled in recent weeks, falling to last place in the National League Central with a record of 62-68.

They also have fallen to eight games back in the Wild Card race after coming close to the final spot in late July. On Monday, the team made a move to clear out a roster spot.

According to Robert Murray of FanSided , Pittsburgh has designated right-hander Jake Woodford for assignment.

Woodford was signed to a minor league deal on June 10 after the Chicago White Sox designated him for assignment and subsequently released him. He has appeared in eight games this season and is 0-6 with an 8.01 ERA.

The 27-year-old began his Major League career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2020 and became a key bullpen piece for the first three years of his career. However, St. Louis tried to move him to the rotation in 2023 and he struggled immensely.

The Cardinals non-tendered him after having previously assigned him to the Florida Complex League. For his career, Woodford is 10-13 with a 4.81 ERA in 215 innings of work along with a 1.40 WHIP.

Woodford was once regarded as a highly touted prospect in the Cardinals organization, but his career never materialized in St. Louis. He has not found any success since leaving the Cardinals.

It will be interesting to see if he gets another opportunity elsewhere, but it's clear that the 2024 season has not gone according to plan for the right-hander.

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