Worley was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

After the acquisition of J.A. Happ the Pirates had no need of Worley on the active roster. He will offer rotation depth from the Triple-A level going forward.

The Pirates designated Worley for assignment Thursday, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Worley was removed from the roster to open up a spot for recent acquisition Joe Blanton. He has posted a respectable 3.78 ERA over 69 innings this season, so he could garner a look on the waiver wire. Worley's next step will be determined after his waiver period comes to a close.

The Pittsburgh Pirates designated pitcher Vance Worley for assignment Thursday, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The Pittsburgh Pirates designated pitcher Vance Worley for assignment Thursday, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Worley was removed from the roster to open up a spot for recent acquisition Joe Blanton.

Worley surrendered five runs (four earned) in four innings Saturday, allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out four.

Pittsburgh staked the righty to a three-run lead before he took the mound, but Worley labored through an 81-pitch effort without his best stuff. The last-minute starter even gave up a two-run single to mound opponent Jimmy Nelson -- his first two RBI ever. While it's probably unfair to rule out Worley as a potential fifth starter in case of injury, he did little to help his case Saturday.

Worley will start Saturday against Milwaukee in place of Francisco Liriano (neck).

With Liriano deemed unavailable due to neck tightness, Worley will step in for his eighth start of the season and first since May 14. Worley, who will oppose Jimmy Nelson, has not thrown more than 30 pitches in any of his last four appearances.

Worley is a late starter for the Pirates against the Brewers on Saturday.

No word on why Francisco Liriano won't be getting the nod, but Worley is on the mound. Worley has served as a long man for the Pirates in 2015.

Worley threw three scoreless relief innings Thursday, limiting the Reds to two hits and a walk while striking out two batters.

As a long man he doesn't offer much fantasy value, but he's allowed just three runs in his last eight appearances covering 21.1 innings. After a terrible start to 2015, Worley overall numbers -- 3.40 ERA and 1.37 WHIP -- are rounding into shape.

Worley hurled four scoreless relief innings Sunday, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out four.

It's possible the Pirates replace an ineffective Jeff Locke with Worley in the rotation. Since his first appearance in early April, Worley has posted a 2.88 ERA in 40.2 frames while Locke has a 6.48 ERA in his last 41.2 innings.

Worley will remain in the the bullpen "for now," according to manager Clint Hurdle, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Worley made his first relief appearance of the year Tuesday, tossing two scoreless, no-hit innings to bring his ERA and WHIP down to 4.17 and 1.54, respectively. He will likely stick in the bullpen at least through the weekend, though the team will need to make room on the active roster for Charlie Morton (hip) on Monday and Worley may be among the candidates to lose his spot.

Worley will move to the bullpen when Charlie Morton (hip) returns to the rotation, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune reports.

Worley has been the weak link so far in the Pittsburgh rotation, owning a 1.62 WHIP and failing to strike out a batter in back-to-back starts. He now appears headed for long relief, representing another knock on his already-diminished fantasy value.

Worley has the worst earned-run average (4.63) and WHIP (1.54) among current Pittsburgh starters and could be the odd man out whenever Charlie Morton returns to the rotation.

Morton will make a rehab start Thursday. Curiously, Worley is also scheduled to pitch for the Bucs in Philadelphia on Thursday. With the two starters lining up on the same day, it would be quite easy for the team to switch them out for their following start -- providing Morton suffers no setbacks.

Worley pitched five innings, allowing nine hits and five runs in the 7-5 win over the Cardinals Saturday.

Worley did not factor in the decision as he left down 5-3 before Carlos Martinez imploded in the sixth inning. He also failed to record a strikeout and his only fantasy value right now is that of the deepest NL leagues. His next game comes Thursday in Philadelphia against one of the worst offenses in the league.

Worley gave up one run on four hits over six innings on Sunday, which included one walk and five strikeouts.

Worley earned the no decision in a solid performance, but the Pirates ended up losing in 14 innings. In 30 innings over five starts, Worley is now 2-2 with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He's been very inconsistent in the early going, which makes him a tough selection for a fantasy roster.

Worley gave up four runs on nine hits over six innings in a loss to the Cubs on Monday night.

After holding the Cubs to an unearned run over 5.2 innings in his last start, Worley didn't get the same results pitching on the road at Wrigley Field on Monday. He's allowed 10 of his 12 earned runs on the road (two starts) this season, and while a split that drastic is highly unlikely to hold up as the year unfolds, Worley carried an ERA that was nearly a full run higher away from PNC Park (3.27) last season while turning out to be a pleasant surprise for the Bucs. Worley will match up against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Sunday in his next start.

Worley (2-1) tossed 5.2 innings Wednesday against the Cubs, giving up just an unearned run on six hits and two walks while striking out five in a winning effort.

Worley's rate stats still look ugly, but he's now turned in two credible starts in a row against divisional opponents. It's still hard to recommend him outside of NL-only formats at this time, though.

Worley will start Friday against the Brewers.

Apparently, the Pirates had planned to start Worley on Friday and Jeff Locke on Saturday all along, but the two pitchers were flip-flopped in the team's official listing of probable starters. Worley will be on one extra days' rest thanks to a team off day Thursday, but he was knocked around to the tune of six earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 6.1 innings against this same Brewers team in his 2015 debut.

Worley struggled with his control Saturday, allowing six earned runs in 6.1 innings. He walked two batters and threw just 59 of 89 pitches for strikes.

The righthander fell to 0-4 with a 6.38 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 24 career innings at Miller Park. Worley will likely make his next start against the Brewers at PNC Park in the coming week. Expect better results.

Worley will start the season in the starting rotation after the Pirates placed Charlie Morton (hip) on the disabled list.

Morton wasn't scheduled to pitch until April 12 and there's a good chance the team will stick with its initial rotation. Despite a mediocre 4.95 ERA, Worley pitched well in Grapefruit League action and makes for a decent end-game pickup.

Worley lost his battle against Jeff Locke for the team's final rotation spot and will pitch out of the bullpen, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Worley outpitched Locke but the team wanted to go with two lefties and three righties in the starting rotation. Worley will likely find himself back as a starter soon enough, as Francisco Liriano rarely makes it through the season without a DL stint. In the meantime, though, Worley's fantasy value takes a hit.

The Pirates are expected to decide whether to keep Worley or Jeff Locke as their fifth starter in the next couple days, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Despite giving up five runs in six innings Thursday, Worley (5.29 ERA in 17.3 IP) has outperformed Locke (9.00 ERA in 8 IP) this spring. Worley hurled five scoreless innings after surrendering five runs in the first inning. "It's always a good sign when pitchers or hitters can make in-game adjustments and take care of themselves," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It was a solid finish with some resiliency." Worley remains the favorite to join the rotation.