Pirates select contract of Chris Devenski as they juggle the DH spot

The Pirates made a pair of roster moves on Aug. 5, tightening their late-summer bullpen and reshaping the way they’ll use their designated-hitter spot as the season moves toward September. Pittsburgh announced that it selected the contract of veteran outfielder Ronny Simón, a move that gives the organization a new roster participant at the major league level.

In that same set of transactions, Pittsburgh cleared the roster spot that had been occupied by designated hitter Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna has been released, and the change allows the Pirates to reconfigure their lineup construction without carrying the same DH commitment. MLB Trade Rumors previously covered the related moves, but the net effect is straightforward: the Pirates are swapping out one player with another while keeping the rest of the roster framework intact.

On the pitching side, the Pirates also addressed an injured-list wrinkle. The club reinstated left-hander Evan Sisk from the 15-day injured list, returning him to the active mix. To create a corresponding roster change for that reinstatement, right-hander Wilber Dotel was optioned.

The arrangement underscores the balancing act teams face in August. Reinstating a pitcher from the IL typically forces a corresponding action elsewhere on the roster, and the Pirates used the option mechanism to keep both the roster size rules and the bullpen’s day-to-day availability aligned. Sisk’s return matters most for how the Pirates manage leverage situations and matchup-based relief, even if the precise usage plan is not described in the announcement.

For Devenski, the Pirates’ decision to select his contract indicates that Pittsburgh views him as ready to contribute at the major league level. Contract selection is more than paperwork. It places the player on the 40-man ledger with a clear path to game appearances, and it typically reflects either improved readiness, organizational need, or both. The specific role Devenski will fill is tied to the Pirates’ immediate pitching needs once Sisk is back and the bullpen settles into its late-season rhythm.

As for the batting side, the release of Ozuna combined with the roster selection connected to Simón suggests the Pirates are also making choices about how they want offense to fit their personnel. Whether Simón’s inclusion is aimed at depth, matchup coverage, or everyday runway depends on how manager usage develops over the next set of games.

What to watch next is how Pittsburgh’s decisions translate into daily lineup cards and bullpen availability. With Sisk back and Dotel optioned, the Pirates’ relief options will shift, and with the DH spot no longer tied to Ozuna, the organization’s late-inning and midgame planning will likely reflect the new roster composition.