LUIS L. ORTIZ NEWS

Roughed up in bulk role Ortiz didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 10-3 loss to the Rays, coughing up six runs on 10 hits and a walk over four innings. He struck out three.

Impact While Carmen Mlodzinski wound up taking the loss as the opener, Ortiz made things a whole lot worse for the Pirates after he entered the game in the second inning, with a pair of homers by Josh Lowe accounting for most of the damage off the right-hander. Ortiz saw his ERA jump by nearly a full run after this performance, and he'll take a 3.45 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 36:18 K:BB through 47 innings into his next outing. If the Bucs keep him in his current bulk relief role and on schedule, he'll take the mound on the road next week in Cincinnati.

JUNE 22 • ROTOWIRE

Making case for rotation spot Ortiz allowed three earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six across three innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

Impact The stat line isn't particularly positive, but Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette provided more context for the outing by noting that Ortiz was struggling with his fastball velocity. Even without that, he settled in for a solid showing after allowing four baserunners and two earned runs in the first inning. Ortiz still has inconsistent command -- he has five walks across eight innings this spring -- but he has racked up 11 strikeouts in three Grapefruit League appearances. He's competing for the fifth rotation spot and has arguably made the best case for himself among the likes of Quinn Priester, Bailey Falter and Roansy Contreras.

MARCH 10 • ROTOWIRE

Sent down to minors The Pirates optioned Ortiz to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact Ortiz put up a 4.78 ERA and 1.70 WHIP through 86.2 innings with the Pirates and was solid during his last outing Thursday, surrendering one run through five frames and picking up a win. He'll head back to Triple-A in favor of Cody Bolton, who was promoted from Indianapolis as bullpen depth, and Ortiz projects to be in the mix for Pittsburgh's Opening Day rotation in 2024.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Allows one run in win Ortiz (5-5) gave up one run on four hits and two walks across five innings, earning the win in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Phillies. He struck out four.

Impact Ortiz was able to settle down after a first-inning solo shot to Kyle Schwarber, keeping the potent Phillies lineup in check to secure his fifth win of the season. The young right-hander has split time between the starting rotation and bullpen this year, but has not yet clicked in either role. Ortiz has pitched to a 4.78 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with 59 strikeouts across 86.2 innings in his first full season of work.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Pitches in bulk relief Oritz allowed three earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five across 3.2 innings Friday against the Reds. He did not factor into the decision.

Impact After serving as a traditional starter for several turns through the rotation, Ortiz worked in bulk relief Friday. The results weren't impressive and he also worked inefficiently, needing 81 pitches to get 11 outs. Since rejoining the big-league club Aug 23., Ortiz has a 5.14 ERA and 1.171 WHIP with only a 21:20 K:BB across 28 frames. He'll likely make one more appearance prior to the close of the regular season, though his exact role remains unclear.

SEPTEMBER 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Walks six in loss Ortiz (4-5) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on six hits and six walks over 4.2 innings in a 6-3 loss against the Yankees. He struck out two.

Impact Ortiz struggled to find the strike zone Saturday, doling out a season-high six walks while failing to log five innings of action. He now owns a 50:44 K:BB over 78 innings of action this season. However, Ortiz has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his last four appearances. He's tentatively scheduled to take on the Reds at Great American Ball Park for his next outing

SEPTEMBER 17, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Another turn in rotation Ortiz will start Saturday's game against the Yankees, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact Ortiz is set to take his third turn through the Pittsburgh rotation, and he's allowed three earned runs across 11.1 innings in his last two starts. He's only posted a 4:5 K:BB in that same span, a far less impressive mark. More positively, Ortiz should be able to handle a typical starter's workload.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Limits damage against Atlanta Ortiz allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out none across 5.1 innings Sunday against Atlanta. He did not factor into the decision.

Impact Ortiz limited the damage against one of the tougher lineups in the league and held Atlanta without any extra-base hits. While his ability to suppress runs is positive, Ortiz lacked the ability to miss bats and racked up only five swinging strikes across 73 total pitches. That contrast has been present since he was promoted back to the majors Aug. 23, as he's maintained a respectable 4.12 ERA but has only a 14:12 K:BB across 19.2 frames.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Starting for Pittsburgh on Sunday Ortiz will start for the Pirates on Sunday in Atlanta, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

Impact It's Ortiz's turn, but the Pirates had held off officially naming him Sunday's starter until now, presumably in case he was needed in relief. Ortiz has been a big disappointment overall this season but has pitched well his last two times out, allowing three runs over 11 innings. That said, he's not a recommended streamer versus Atlanta.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nabs win Monday Ortiz (4-4) earned the win over Milwaukee on Monday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four batters over six innings.

Impact Ortiz worked as the Pirates' primary pitcher in relief in his last outing before returning to a traditional starter role Monday. The right-hander fell behind 2-0 in the second inning but didn't allow any other runs and moved into position for the win when Pittsburgh tallied four runs over the fifth and sixth frames. Ortiz ended up tossing 84 pitches over six innings, marking the third time he's pitched at least that many frames in an outing this season. The 24-year-old has posted a mediocre 4.90 ERA and 1.74 WHIP over 68 innings on the campaign, but he's yielded just three runs over 11 frames during his past two appearances, which should be enough to help him continue to hold down a spot in the rotation.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Starting for Pirates on Monday Ortiz will start for the Pirates on Monday versus the Brewers, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Impact Things had seemed to be pointing in Ortiz's direction, but the Pirates declined naming a starter until releasing their lineup. Ortiz's last appearance was in bulk relief and he has posted a 5.08 ERA and 44:33 K:BB over 62 innings this season covering 11 starts and two relief appearances.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Impresses in long relief Ortiz (3-4) earned the win Tuesday against Kansas City. He allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out five over five innings.

Impact Ortiz followed opener Colin Selby on Tuesday, dealing five innings of one-run baseball to pick up his first win since June 23. After giving up four or more runs in each of his last three appearances, the 24-year-old bounced back Tuesday and yielded just three hits on the day. Though Ortiz doesn't hold a permanent spot in the Pirates rotation, he'll likely stick around for more work for as long as Max Kranick (elbow) and Vince Velasquez (elbow) remain on the 60-day IL.

AUGUST 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Staying in rotation this week General manager Ben Cherington confirmed that Ortiz will receive another start with the Pirates either Tuesday or Wednesday in Kansas City, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gaze...

Impact The Pirates are condensing their rotation from six men to five this week, and Ortiz will end up sticking around over Osvaldo Bido, who was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday. Ortiz likely doesn't have a long leash in the Pittsburgh rotation, however, as he was roughed up for five earned runs on seven hits and five walks over 3.1 innings this past Wednesday against St. Louis in what marked his first outing with the Pirates since July 4. Through 12 outings (11 starts) with the big club this season, Ortiz owns a 5.37 ERA and 1.84 WHIP.

AUGUST 28, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Flounders in return to rotation Ortiz (2-4) took the loss Wednesday, allowing five runs on seven hits and five walks over 3.1 innings against the Cardinals. He struck out five.

Impact Ortiz struggled tremendously in his return to the Pirates' rotation, allowing back-to-back singles, followed by back-to-back walks in the first inning, which led to three runs coming across for St. Louis. Despite getting the leadoff man to go down on strikes in three of the four innings in which he appeared, the right-hander would still be tagged with five runs on the afternoon before being relieved by Yohan Ramirez. Ortiz has now allowed at least four runs in each of his last three starts for Pittsburgh, lasting less than five frames on each occasion.

AUGUST 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Promoted ahead of start The Pirates recalled Ortiz from Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Cardinals at PNC Park.

Impact Ortiz will rejoin the Pirates for what will be his first appearance since the All-Star break, despite being roughed up to the tune of a 7.77 ERA and 1.92 WHIP in 24.1 innings at Triple-A since being demoted July 5. Even though Ortiz appears to be getting what amounts to a spot start Wednesday, he may get a chance to stick around in the Pirates rotation if performs better against the Cardinals than anticipated in his return to the majors.

AUGUST 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Confirmed as Wednesday's starter Ortiz will start Wednesday against the Cardinals, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazettereports.

Impact Ortiz has split the season evenly between Triple-A Indianapolis and the majors, 5hough he hasn't experienced much success at either level. Across 53.2 frames in Pittsburgh, he maintained only a 34:26 K: BB while serving up 1.8 HR/9. Positively, he's worked four or five frames in each of his last five appearances in the minors, so he could work deep enough into the game to qualify for a win if his start goes well.

AUGUST 23, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Likely to start Wednesday Ortiz will likely be called up to start for the Pirates on Wednesday against the Cardinals, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.

Impact Ortiz arrived in the Pirates' clubhouse ahead of Tuesday's game versus St. Louis, but he's only on the taxi squad for now. The 24-year-old right-hander carries a 4.86 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 34:26 K:BB in 53.2 innings (10 starts, one relief appearance) this season at the major-league level.

AUGUST 22, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Heads back to minors The Pirates optioned Ortiz to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.

Impact Ortiz has surrendered 10 runs over eight innings across his last two starts with Pittsburgh, and he'll now return to Triple-A in order to get back on track. If Ortiz is able to put up numbers similar to his 2.23 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in Triple-A, he could certainly find himself back in the majors relatively quickly. In the meantime, Yohan Ramirez will come up from Indianapolis to fill Ortiz's roster spot, and it's unclear who will fill the empty spot in Pittsburgh's rotation.

JULY 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Hit hard in no-decision Ortiz allowed six runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out three over 3.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Dodgers on Tuesday.

Impact Ortiz allowed a career-high three home runs, two of which came off the bat of James Outman. It was the worst start of Ortiz's young career, but the Pirates ultimately rallied late for the win. The right-hander is now at a 4.86 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 34:26 K:BB through 53.2 innings over 11 outings (10 starts) this season. He is tentatively projected for a road start in Arizona over the weekend.

JULY 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Tagged for four runs in no-decision Ortiz did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks over 4.2 innings against San Diego. He did not record a strikeout.

Impact The Padres were able to get to Ortiz early, tallying three runs off him in the second inning as the rookie continued to leave pitches up in the zone. The right-hander allowed two home runs for just the second time in his 10 big league starts and also failed to record a strikeout for the first time this season. Ortiz came into the contest having allowed one earned run in back-to-back starts and in three of his previous five. However, he's now recorded one or fewer strikeouts four times in his rookie campaign and has made it past the fifth inning only twice.

JUNE 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Twirls gem in Miami Ortiz (2-3) earned the win Friday, allowing one run on seven hits and two walks over eight innings against the Marlins. He struck out five.

Impact Ortiz turned in the best start of young career. It looked like he might get stuck with the tough-luck loss, but Ortiz was rewarded for his efforts when the Pirates rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning to win 3-1. The 24-year-old induced 12 swinging strikes on 97 pitches and showed the kind of upside to warrant a roster spot in most fantasy leagues, though more ups and downs should be expected.

JUNE 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Allows one run in no-decision Ortiz did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks over 4.2 innings against the Brewers. He struck out six.

Impact Ortiz tied his season high with six strikeouts and allowed just one run, but he couldn't get through the fifth inning, snapping a two-game streak. The right-hander continues to struggle with walks, allowing multiple free passes in seven straight appearances. During that stretch, Ortiz boasts a 4.41 ERA, 1.74 WHIP and an ugly 25:19 K:BB. With numerous injuries to Pittsburgh's pitching staff, Oritz figures to have a steady role in the rotation moving forward, and his next start is lined up for a road matchup versus Miami.

JUNE 19, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Roughed up in loss Ortiz (1-3) took the loss Tuesday, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks over 5.1 innings against the Cubs. He struck out four.

Impact Ortiz was hit hard early on, as the Cubs plated three runs in the first inning and added another before he was removed in the sixth inning with runners on the corners. The outing marked the first time in five starts that Ortiz allowed more than three earned runs, and continued a pattern of issues with the long ball as the 24-year-old has now given up five bombs over his last four appearances. He is tentatively scheduled to start Sunday against the Brewers.

JUNE 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Throws five innings in relief Ortiz allowed two runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out one over five innings in Wednesday's 9-5 loss to Oakland.

Impact Ortiz pitched two innings in a rain-shortened outing Sunday, leaving him available to eat up innings after starter Roansy Contreras lasted just one-third of an inning. Despite allowing 10 hits, Ortiz was able to limit the damage against Oakland thanks to a couple of key double-play balls. The 24-year-old right-hander is 1-2 this season with a 4.23 ERA, 1.81 WHIP and 16:15 K:BB. Ortiz was originally slated to start this weekend, though that will likely be pushed back after he threw 91 pitches Wednesday.

JUNE 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Early exit after rain delay Ortiz didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Cardinals, giving up one run on one hit and two walks over two innings. He struck out one.

Impact An hour-long rain delay in the third inning caused Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton to turn to his bullpen rather than risk injury to the 24-year-old right-hander. Even in his brief outing, Ortiz displayed his usual inefficiency while teasing his upside -- he needed 32 pitches to record six outs, but generated 10 called or swinging strikes along the way. If he stays on turn, Ortiz should be well-rested for his next start, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Mets.

JUNE 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE