Ortiz (1-1) allowed three earned runs on two hits and a walk while striking out none across 1.2 innings to take the loss Tuesday against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz entered the game in the sixth inning, immediately following Jared Jones while being tasked with protecting a one-run lead. He retired the first four batters he faced but then ran into trouble by allowing three consecutive hitters to reach base. Ortiz was then let down by Jose Hernandez, who allowed two inherited runners to score. Ortiz has been used in multi-inning relief after losing out on a rotation spot in spring training, and he's posted a subpar 5:6 K:BB in his first 9.1 innings of work.

Ortiz will begin the season as a long reliever in the bullpen, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 25-year-old made a solid case for a rotation spot during spring training with a 3.46 ERA, and 15:7 K:BB across 13 innings, but Bailey Falter and Jared Jones will begin the campaign as Pittsburgh's Nos. 4 and 5 starters. Ortiz should remain stretched out and should see some action as a bulk reliever, especially as a right-handed complement to lefties like Jones, Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales.

Ortiz allowed three earned runs on three hits and three walks while striking out six across three innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.

EDGE Analysis

The stat line isn't particularly positive, but Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette provided more context for the outing by noting that Ortiz was struggling with his fastball velocity. Even without that, he settled in for a solid showing after allowing four baserunners and two earned runs in the first inning. Ortiz still has inconsistent command -- he has five walks across eight innings this spring -- but he has racked up 11 strikeouts in three Grapefruit League appearances. He's competing for the fifth rotation spot and has arguably made the best case for himself among the likes of Quinn Priester, Bailey Falter and Roansy Contreras.

Ortiz has shown good movement on his changeup and sinker early in camp, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz had some hype heading into the 2023 season, but he fell flat and ended up spending a significant amount of time at Triple-A Indianapolis. He relies heavily on his fastball, sinker and slider, so developing another offering could be a key to him taking a step forward. Early on in camp, Ortiz has shown improved comfort throwing his changeup, and he drew a whiff with the pitch from Oneil Cruz in a live batting practice session Monday. He'll be battling for a spot in the rotation along with Roansy Contreras, Quinn Priester and Bailey Falter this spring.

The Pirates optioned Ortiz to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz put up a 4.78 ERA and 1.70 WHIP through 86.2 innings with the Pirates and was solid during his last outing Thursday, surrendering one run through five frames and picking up a win. He'll head back to Triple-A in favor of Cody Bolton, who was promoted from Indianapolis as bullpen depth, and Ortiz projects to be in the mix for Pittsburgh's Opening Day rotation in 2024.

Ortiz (5-5) gave up one run on four hits and two walks across five innings, earning the win in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Phillies. He struck out four.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz was able to settle down after a first-inning solo shot to Kyle Schwarber, keeping the potent Phillies lineup in check to secure his fifth win of the season. The young right-hander has split time between the starting rotation and bullpen this year, but has not yet clicked in either role. Ortiz has pitched to a 4.78 ERA and 1.70 WHIP with 59 strikeouts across 86.2 innings in his first full season of work.

Oritz allowed three earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five across 3.2 innings Friday against the Reds. He didn't factor into the decision in the Pirates' 7-5 win.

EDGE Analysis

After serving as a traditional starter for his last three turns through the rotation, Ortiz worked in bulk relief Friday. The results weren't impressive after he entered the game in the second inning, and he also worked inefficiently, needing 81 pitches to get 11 outs. Since rejoining the big-league club Aug 23., Ortiz has a 5.14 ERA and 1.171 WHIP with only a 21:20 K:BB across 28 frames. He'll likely make one more appearance prior to the close of the regular season, though his exact role remains unclear.

Ortiz (4-5) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on six hits and six walks over 4.2 innings in a 6-3 loss against the Yankees. He struck out two.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz struggled to find the strike zone Saturday, doling out a season-high six walks while failing to log five innings of action. He now owns a 50:44 K:BB over 78 innings of action this season. However, Ortiz has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his last four appearances. He's tentatively scheduled to take on the Reds at Great American Ball Park for his next outing

Ortiz will start Saturday's game against the Yankees, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz is set to take his third turn through the Pittsburgh rotation, and he's allowed three earned runs across 11.1 innings in his last two starts. He's only posted a 4:5 K:BB in that same span, a far less impressive mark. More positively, Ortiz should be able to handle a typical starter's workload.

Ortiz allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out none across 5.1 innings Sunday against Atlanta. He did not factor into the decision.

EDGE Analysis

Ortiz limited the damage against one of the tougher lineups in the league and held Atlanta without any extra-base hits. While his ability to suppress runs is positive, Ortiz lacked the ability to miss bats and racked up only five swinging strikes across 73 total pitches. That contrast has been present since he was promoted back to the majors Aug. 23, as he's maintained a respectable 4.12 ERA but has only a 14:12 K:BB across 19.2 frames.