Pirates GM Ben Cherington updated reporters (including Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) with the latest on several injured Bucs players. The most imminent news concerns Chad Kuhl, who will be activated from the 10-day injured list to start Monday’s game with the Royals.
Kuhl was placed on the IL on April 22 due to right shoulder discomfort. After tossing a pair of rehab outings at Triple-A, Kuhl will look to get back on the big league mound and turn the page on what has been a tough 2021 season. Kuhl has a 6.32 ERA over his first four starts and 15 2/3 innings, in large part due to an extreme lack of control — Kuhl has 16 walks in those 15 2/3 innings.
“Part of Chad’s rehab was not just getting healthy, it was making sure that he continued to build off what he had done in that last start and attack the strike zone,” Cherington said, referencing Kuhl’s final start before his IL visit. While Kuhl still allowed three earned runs in five innings against the Brewers on April 18, he did walk just one Milwaukee batter, while striking out six.
Ke’Bryan Hayes might also soon be returning to the Pirates, as Cherington indicated that “all reports have been good” about Hayes’ Triple-A rehab stint. The star rookie went on the IL after just two games due to left wrist inflammation, and his recovery process already hit one setback in April. With so much time missed, Cherington felt Hayes needed “almost a Spring Training progression” to get ramped up, since “the last thing we wanted to do was sort of rush him back and then something else happens because his body was just not ready….So that’s why you’ve seen maybe a little longer progression than we would in some other cases with rehab.”
Hayes has already appeared in seven games with Triple-A Indianapolis, and figures to clock a few more appearances before June 3, when he is eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list. It is quite possible Hayes will be activated that day, when the Pirates begin a four-game series at home with the Marlins.
Colin Moran and Phillip Evans are also likely to be starting rehab assignment of their own, possibly as early as within the next two days, Cherington implied. Moran has been out since May 9 due to a groin injury, while Evans went on the IL on May 13 because of a hamstring strain. Evans’ versatility helped the Pirates fill several holes around the diamond before he too was lost to the injured list, while Moran has hit well as the team’s regular first baseman.
On the minor league front, Cherington said that Travis Swaggerty’s dislocated right shoulder is “going in [the] direction” of requiring surgery. Swaggerty suffered the injury while diving back to first base during a Triple-A game, and he has spent much of the last two weeks weighing recovery options. Swaggerty was the tenth overall pick of the 2018 draft, and MLB Pipeline ranks him as the ninth-best prospect in Pittsburgh’s farm system. Surgery would seemingly end the season for the outfielder, an especially tough blow since Swaggerty already lost a year of development when the 2020 minor league season was canceled.
I’m glad to hear about Moran and Evans. Moran looked like he was finally turning a corner this year with his bat. Hopefully, this was just a small set-back for him. I was really dissapointed to hear about Swaggerty. He looked pretty good out of the gates this year, barrelling up the ball a ton, though his bottom line results aren’t a full reflection of how well he was doing.
Moran and Evans news is welcomed but entirely negated and overshadowed by the Swaggerty news. Hayes coming back on the 3rd was expected and mitigates if not entirely nullifies Evans’ return. More than any other position on the field the Bucs need a centerfielder and Swaggerty was their best shot in the next year or two. Bligh Madris is tearing up AAA in Swaggerty’s place and could play left field moving Reynolds to center but that’s not much different than running Alford, Fowler or Tom in center and hoping it works.
“More…than ANY other position”?
Centerfield…will cure their ills?
(There must be 2 “Pittsburgh Pirates Teams” out there). Sheesh. I didn’t realize I was watching the wrong one.
Because the one I been watching…since 1970, has been nearly-devoid of PITCHING…since 1976.
Even on those “odd chance” seasons where they managed to actually LOOK like a baseball team? They never had “uber-hyped CFs”. (Just adequate ones). Moreno, Virdon, Van Slyke, Dancin Andy? Nothing to write home to Mom about…but not bad either.
But they (not in 1960, 1971, nor 1979) EVER had…pitching. Never.
The Pirates could stick Dick Stuart out there in Centerfield. It wouldn’t matter none.
Because they have been dead-dry on pitchers for 50 years.
When “Steve Blass or John Candelaria” is considered “the best you have had since Union-Takeover-style baseball”? You’re in trouble.
The Pirates did this…to themselves.
The 70s began it. The 80s progressed it.
The 90s were devoid of it. 00s? Lol. Next case.
The Pirates could field a roster of Jim Edmonds types and still lose 100 games.
Why? They have ZILTCH in terms of pitching.
But they gotta start somewhere.
You start sir..by PITCHING.
get 100 arms for the crap-position player garbage they have on the roster…and begin there.
Ya load up on pitchers.
(Cause you can ALWAYS trade pitchers for a bat…if ya got enough to trade).
Any one can “play OF”. (Centerfielder here for 35 years. Ain’t that hard to catch a baseball and bat .300.
Too bad Grizzly Adams Dan Swaggerty…cant.
Chad Hermansen 2 is all he is.
You could re-sign Melky and the Bucs? Would still lose 100 games.
Cause they have no pitching.
The very last time they thought they had “3 Angels in the Outfield”? Was Starfish Farte, Dancin Andy and Plunko.
And they stunk. On ice.
Why? No pitching.
If “Marashino Cherington” is gonna “rebuild this team”? He gotta be NOVEL in approach.
Arms. Arms. Arms . from Murrysville to Sewickley. Arms. Only..and IF they ever “pitch”? They got a chance. They dont? They wont.
Been like that since 1960.
Pitching…wins. Period.
Bucs? Ain’t never (well, maybe rarely on spot-occasion) have had it
“looked pretty good out of the gates”.
So too…did Kevin Polcovich and Miguel Dilone and Rob Mackowiak.
Centerfielder comes a dime a dozen.
Gotta rebuild this garbage franchise around PITCHING, and nothing but.
Or? They are done. Forever.
Can Ben please keep Chase De Jong in the big leagues?!