The Pirates are starting to see a path toward getting healthier, and the biggest name in that group is Oneil Cruz.
Cruz, who has been out since early June with a fractured left hand, has resumed all baseball activities, according to Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. He could take the next step with live at-bats this week or next, which would put him on track for a possible minor league rehab assignment before he’s eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on Aug. 7.
Before the injury, Pittsburgh’s leadoff hitter and center fielder was producing at a .264/.350/.472 clip in 64 games. For a lineup that has spent much of the summer trying to hang around the playoff race without several regulars, getting Cruz back would be a major lift.
Spencer Horwitz, though, has hit a snag. The first baseman had already started a rehab assignment with Low-A Bradenton while coming back from a left hamstring strain, but he was struck in the head by a pitch during an at-bat over the weekend. Horwitz stayed in the game and even homered before later being flown back to Pittsburgh, where he was diagnosed with a concussion.
The good news is that the hamstring is no longer the issue. The new hurdle is concussion protocol, which Horwitz must clear before he can restart his push toward the active roster. He was hitting .280 with 10 home runs, 30 RBI and a .386 OBP in 74 games before going on the injured list.
There was more movement on the pitching side, too. Left-handed reliever Evan Sisk is getting close to a Triple-A rehab assignment after missing the past month with left elbow inflammation. Sisk had a 2.23 ERA before the injury.
Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin is still aiming for an early-September return from a left ring finger injury and is already back to limited baseball activities.
The toughest news involved top pitching prospect Seth Hernandez, whose season now appears to be in jeopardy after a significant oblique strain. Hernandez is 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA between Low-A and High-A, but he may not have enough time to finish his rehab and ramp-up before Greensboro’s season ends Sept. 6.
For the Pirates, the overall picture is still mixed. Cruz is moving toward live pitching, Horwitz’s original leg issue has healed, and Sisk is nearing game action. After a long stretch of being short-handed, Pittsburgh may finally be getting close to some relief as the stretch run approaches.
In Other News...
Pirates May Have Pulled Off Their Rarest Kind Of Trade Win
The Pirates July 30 swap of KeBryan Hayes to Cincinnati already looked like the kind of move that could only be judged over time, and the early signs have been encouraging in more than one way. Hayes has not found much rhythm at the plate since landing with the Reds, while the prospect piece Pittsburgh got back, Sammy Stafura, has been turning heads in High-A Greensboro and giving the front office something tangible to track beyond the immediate roster shuffle.
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Pirates Just Sent A Troubling Message About Ben Cherington's Deadline Plans
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But the timing also invites a bigger question about how Ben Cherington views the days leading into the trade deadline. If Pittsburgh is leaning on Triple-A depth to patch together the roster now, it could be a sign the front office is preparing to keep its biggest moves internal rather than chase help from outside the organization. [Read more 🡒]