Pittsburgh Pirates Recall Esmerlyn Valdez from Triple-A Indianapolis

The Pittsburgh Pirates have recalled outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez from Triple-A Indianapolis to bolster their outfield depth following Oneil Cruz's injury. Valdez, 22, made his MLB debut last month and appeared in five games before being optioned on May 28. He went 2 for 16 with a pair of home runs and five RBI in his brief stint with the Pirates. At Triple-A, Valdez has played in 56 games, slashing .255/.388/.526 with 13 doubles, 13 home runs, and 38 RBI. To make room for Valdez on the active roster, the Pirates optioned infielder Davis Wendzel to Indianapolis. Wendzel appeared in two games after having his contract selected on Saturday and went hitless in four at-bats. Additionally, the club placed catcher Shawn Ross on the taxi squad after Endy Rodríguez left Wednesday night's game with left hip discomfort. Ross has played 39 games this season between Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona, combining for a .185/.355/.472 batting line with seven doubles, eight home runs, and 19 RBI.