Pirates' John Holdzkom: Designated for assignment

The Pirates designated Holdzkom for assignment Sunday, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

An unsung hero of the Pirates' run to the postseason in 2014, Holdzkom has fallen off the radar since then, as he languished in an injury-abbreviated season at Triple-A Indianapolis in 2015. The big right-hander didn't show enough improvement with his command during the spring, and now that he's entering his age-28 season, the Pirates were running out of patience with his quest to return to form. Another team could take a gamble on him through the waiver market, but if not, he'll likely stick in the organization as bullpen depth at Triple-A.