Ernesto Frieri heads to Pittsburgh Pirates Triple-A affiliate

Less than two months ago, Ernesto Frieri was the closer for a contender, the Los Angeles Angels.

Now he’s just another guy in Triple-A.

Frieri, who saved 37 games for the Angels in 2013, accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis less than a week after the 29-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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The move was reported on the MLB.com transactions page.

In what was seen by many as two teams exchanging problems, the Pirates acquired Frieri in late June in exchange for their own struggling closer, former All-Star Jason Grilli.

But while Grilli has been solid as a setup man for the Angels, Frieri was a disaster in Pittsburgh.

Before being removed from the 40-man roster on Friday, Frieri made 14 appearances for the Pirates. He had a 10.13 ERA and 1.781 WHIP in 10.2 innings and had surrendered three home runs.

That came after 34 appearances for the Angels during which he had a 6.39 ERA and 1.355 WHIP in 31 innings, serving up eight long balls.

The 11 home runs he’s surrendered this season match his total from 2013 in 27 fewer innings.

Last season, Frieri had a 3.80 ERA and 1.238 WHIP in 67 appearances covering 68.2 innings and saved 37 games in 41 opportunities. He took over the closer’s role for the Angels in 2012 after he was acquired from the San Diego Padres in May of that year. He was 23-for-26 in save chances and had a 2.32 ERA and 0-.957 WHIP in 56 appearances and 54.1 innings.

A native of Colombia, Frieri was signed as an international free agent by San Diego in 2003 and made his big-league debut in September 2009. He has 71 career saves in six seasons, all of them in the last three years.

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