The latest on a few injured Pirates, courtesy of Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
- The season has gone down the drain for the Pirates, whose 56-77 record is among the worst in the majors, but they’re still hoping to see right-hander Chris Archer take the hill again this year. Archer went to the injured list a week ago on account of shoulder inflammation, though he has made good progress since then, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk explained Wednesday. Archer still hasn’t thrown a baseball since he landed on the IL, though, so it’s hardly a foregone conclusion that he’ll return to the mound in 2019. Regardless, the Pirates seem likely to exercise Archer’s $9MM club option (in lieu of a $1.75MM buyout) once the offseason arrives. While Archer was a highly regarded starter when he joined the Pirates last summer in a major trade with the Rays, the current campaign has been an injury-limited disaster for the 30-year-old. Archer has given Pittsburgh 119 2/3 innings of 5.19 ERA/5.01 FIP ball this season.
- As with Archer, it’s uncertain whether outfielder Gregory Polanco will suit up for the Bucs again in ’19. Polanco’s shoulder has been a problem for about a year now – he underwent surgery in mid-September of 2018, sat out until late April this season and then went back to the IL in the middle of June. Although Polanco’s rehab in Bradenton, Fla., is going well at the moment, there may not be enough time left in the Double-A or Triple-A seasons for him to play with those affiliates before a potential return to the majors. Indeed, Tomcyzyk admitted that Pittsburgh’s “running up against the clock” with Polanco. The 27-year-old has been a rather valuable piece for the Pirates in the past, especially in 2018, but his shoulder troubles have helped hold him to an ineffective .242/.301/.425 line in 167 plate appearances this season. Next year will be the penultimate guaranteed season of the $35MM extension Polanco signed back in 2016. He’ll earn $8MM in 2020.
- The Pirates have shut righty Tom Koehler down for the year after he suffered a setback in his recovery from shoulder surgery. Koehler underwent the procedure last July as a member of the Dodgers, for whom he didn’t pitch at all in 2018, and has thrown just four innings at the minor league level this season. The 33-year-old signed with the Pirates on a minors pact last winter. Also a former Marlin and Blue Jay, Koehler has recorded a 4.39 ERA/4.49 FIP with 6.93 K/9 and 3.69 BB/9 in 784 1/3 frames in the majors.
Archer is a number 4 of 5…recall Millwood?
Who is this ‘Millwood’?
Great deal for Archer Pirates! He’s such a hot mess.
I think there is a lot of upside to Mitch Keller, I really do. But after seeing outings like last night, here’s hoping someone can teach him how to pitch and can refine his abilities. It strikes me that it took Cole and Morton leaving town for them to realize their potential
That said, with apparently no one on the horizon in the minors, with Taillon gone for a year and Kuhl a question mark, how can they not retain Archer?
This series alone has been an illustration in Pirates ineptitude at all levels. From Hurdle’s managerial incompetence to the FO donation of Dickerson, to Bell’s continued illustration that he’s no 1st baseman, what a hole this franchise is in
Who was responsible for Cole’s 2015 season?
Yeah, Cole was successful here but nothing like he is now, as he uses an assortment of pitches that make his heat that much more effective
Funny how simply trying to overpower batters with nothing but the fastball was no longer a novelty in ‘16. Get real
Cole was also a hothead who has matured in his late twenties.
He also had some relatively minor injury problems for a couple of years.
He also was poed at the Pirates for giving him the minimum amount of money after a fine second season.
He has learned how to pitch,although credit should also be given to the Astros staff for bringing it out of him.He has also been healthy.
Cole has always been a very talented pitcher and will be rewarded very highly this off season.
There is no need to have Archer not Polanco do anything this year. Let them shut it down and rest shoulders… have a normal winter… and get ready for next year.
If they blow out the arms in September then they will miss all of 2020 and no one needs that.
What’s the point of it? Just let them rest.
Agree.
i was thinking the exact same way…why would you push archer into coming back to a lost season and risking further injury?
Because Neil Huntington runs this ship…