The Pirates optioned Ortiz to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Since Ortiz wasn't scheduled to pitch again in 2022 after making a start Saturday in St. Louis, the Pirates chose to option him to open up room on the 28-man active roster for a player who can contribute over their final three games. Though he failed to escape the first inning against the Cardinals while serving up six earned runs, Ortiz still delivered a solid 4.50 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 17:10 K:BB in 16 innings over his first four big-league starts. He should get the chance to compete for a spot in the Bucs' Opening Day rotation next spring.