Story perspectives

Curtis Throws Five Scoreless, Leads 3-0, Bullpen Blows Lead

7/19/2026

Summary

Curtis Relieves, Loses

Jared Curtis threw five scoreless relief innings in the doubleheader, giving Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead.
He allowed two hits, issued two walks, and struck out four on 68 pitches.
The bullpen later surrendered the lead, causing Pittsburgh to lose and Curtis to miss the win.
He posted a 4.96 ERA over 74.1 minor-league innings.
His 97:40 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 40-man roster spot make him a rotation candidate.

Summary

Curtis Joins

Pittsburgh added Khristian Curtis as 27th man for July 18 after moving Oneil Cruz to 60-day IL.
Selecting his contract placed Curtis on the 40-man roster and removed 2026 Rule 5 Draft eligibility.
Wilber Dotel returned from the 15-day IL for game 2, giving Pittsburgh a fresh arm.
Curtis, ranked No. 21 by MLB Pipeline and fifth-best by Baseball America, has sparked trade-deadline speculation and helps preserve bullpen during a 17-game stretch through Aug. 10.

History

Historical Context

The 40-man roster, which caps clubs at 40 players under major-league contracts, was first mandated in 1921 and briefly expanded during the 1994 strike. That limit lets teams protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft, a draft that has run annually since 1920. Today the Pirates’ addition of right-hander Khristian Curtis to their 40-man roster follows the same protection mechanism.

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Curtis Relieves, Loses

Jared Curtis threw five scoreless relief innings in the doubleheader, giving Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead.
He allowed two hits, issued two walks, and struck out four on 68 pitches.
The bullpen later surrendered the lead, causing Pittsburgh to lose and Curtis to miss the win.
He posted a 4.96 ERA over 74.1 minor-league innings.
His 97:40 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 40-man roster spot make him a rotation candidate.

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