Pirate diary: Kyle Crick quits after acquiring minor-league pitcher Dillon Peters from the Angels

The quest for capable launcher weapons at all levels of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization continued on Monday when the Pirates sent cash consideration to the Los Angeles Angels for left-handed pitcher Dillon Peters.

The team immediately assigned Peters to Triple-A Indianapolis. He returns home after attending Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.

To make room for Peters on the 40-man roster, the Pirates have nominated right-handed relief pitcher Kyle Crick for assignment.

Peters, 28, spent this season at Salt Lake Triple-A, where he was 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in eight starts. He was nominated for assignment by the Angels last Wednesday with a career 7-8 record and a 5.38 ERA in 31 MLB games (24 starts).

Selected by the Miami Marlins in the 10th round of the 2014 first-year draft, Peters made his debut for the Marlins in 2017. He was traded to the Angels after the 2018 season.

Crick has been with the Pirates since 2018, when he was acquired from the San Francisco Giants, along with Bryan Reynolds, for Andrew McCutchen.

Crick has been a major contributor to the reliever box during his first two seasons with the Pirates, appearing in 106 games with a 3.54 ERA. At the end of the 2019 season, he injured a finger on his pitcher’s hand during a fight with then-teammate Felipe Vazquez. Both players were fined.

Under new management, Crick returned to the squad in 2020 and pitched seven games in an injury-ridden season. This season, he was 1-1 with a 4.44 ERA and a WHIP of 1.356 in 27 games. He was twice on the injured list, first for complications from covid-19 and later for a sprained right triceps.

Overall, Crick leaves the 40-man roster with a 7-11, 3.62 ERA and 1.349 WHIP record in 150 games with the Pirates.

The project of choice signs the contract

The Pirates signed shortstop Brenden Dixon, their 20th round pick in the freshman draft last week. He’s reached 0.335, with 10 homers and 39 RBIs, this season at Weatherford, Texas College. He was assigned to the Florida Complex League.