Pirates DFA reliever Tyler Bashlor to make space for infielder Wilmer Difo

The Pirates are designating reliever Tyler Bashlor for assignment, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was among those to relay. The move opens 40-man roster space for infielder Wilmer Difo, whose previously reported selection has been made official.

Bashlor, 27, has pitched 62.1 MLB innings with the Mets and Pirates over the past three seasons. He has only a 5.78 ERA with poor strikeout and walk rates (18.5% and 12%, respectively) in that time. Bashlor has been much better in the minors, with a 1.63 ERA in 38.2 Double-A innings and a 3.41 mark in 37 frames at Triple-A.

The Pirates have a week to trade Bashlor or place him on outright waivers. The hard-throwing righty still has a minor league option remaining, so he can be shuttled back and forth between the majors and the alternate training site/Triple-A for the rest of the year if another team acquires him.