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The Pirates have designated Joe Beimel for assignment to make room for recalled Ross Ohlendorf, the Pirates announced Tuesday. The 34 year-old reliever has pitched O-K this year, and currently has a 5.33 ERA in 25 innings pitched. Beimel's strikeout-to-walk rate is nearly 2-to-1, and he does tend to induce groundballs and is doing so at a 43% clip this season.
Teams looking for a lefty reliever might be interested in Beimel, including the Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies. Troy Renk suggests that Beimel loved his time in Colorado, but may not be a good fit to return. Signed to a minor league deal earlier this year, Beimel's $1.75M salary while in the majors will be big incentive to bite, says Buster Olney.
About Beimel: It costs little or nothing to give him an audition. Like the Giants with Javier Lopez last year--and look how that turned out.
Ohlendorf is scheduled to start tonight against the Milwaukee Brewers. This will be just his third start of the year.