Konnor Griffin’s path back to Pittsburgh took another step forward Sunday, and the Pirates are now looking at Sept. 4 as a real target.
The 20-year-old shortstop got into game action with Double-A Altoona, playing seven innings and finishing 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in his rehab appearance. Griffin opened the day by striking out against Erie left-hander Carlos Peña, then picked up an infield single in the fourth before going down on strikes again in his final plate appearance.
Griffin is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Sept. 4, and Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said the club is optimistic about Griffin’s chances of returning that day.
The rehab game marked Griffin’s first live action since he tore the sagittal band in his left ring finger on July 5 against the Nationals. The injury happened when he dove up the middle for a ground ball. He was diagnosed two days later, placed on the injured list on July 7, and moved to the 60-day IL four days after that.
Pittsburgh has felt the absence. Since Griffin went down, shortstops Jared Triolo and trade pickup Jacob Gonzalez have combined to hit .225 with a .591 OPS.
When Griffin was healthy, the production looked a lot different. In the eight games between injured list stints - after he missed nearly all of June with a right elbow strain - he hit .306, stole six bases and posted a 115 wRC+.
His return to the field didn’t happen overnight. Griffin had been building back up in recent weeks, taking swings against the Trajekt machine and doing one-hand work with a splint still on the finger. After consulting with doctors on Aug. 16, six weeks after the injury, he no longer needed the splint.
He then went to Florida on Aug. 19 as the team began a nine-game road trip, and from there worked his way into game action with Altoona on Sunday. Both Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis will be on the road this coming week, with the Curve heading to Harrisburg and the Indians traveling to Toledo.
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