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The Pirates have optioned Brandon Cumpton to Indianapolis. Cumpton didn't figure to make the roster out of camp. The move does, however, suggest that the Pirates are confident Francisco Liriano will be ready to go on Opening Day.
As with last season, Cumpton will provide depth, and it wouldn't be a shock to see him get significant playing time, particularly in light of the late-breaking uncertainty surrounding the Pirates' starting rotation. He probably won't be anywhere near as good as he was last year (and obviously the Pirates aren't counting on that, or he would be in the rotation to begin with), but he's a very useful player to have in the organization.
