Pirates place Andrew McCutchen, Ke'Bryan Hayes on 10-day IL
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The Pittsburgh Pirates made a series of roster moves Friday evening ahead of their series-opening game in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks, most notably of which was the placement of Andrew McCutchen and Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list.
McCutchen heads to the injured list, a move retroactive to July 6, to nurse inflammation in his right elbow.
The previous night, in game three of four against Los Angeles, during an at-bat in the top of the seventh inning, McCutchen appeared to land awkwardly on his right elbow after being forced to the ground to avoid a high and inside pitch from the Dodgers’ Phil Bickford.
McCutchen stayed in the game but did not play in the series finale Thursday.
Serving primarily as the Pirates’ designated hitter this season, McCutchen is hitting .268 with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs. His 49 walks and .383 on-base percentage lead the club.
Hayes is sidelined with low back inflammation, the same issue that had kept him out of action from June 24-July 6.
Upon being reactivated, he managed to play in just one game, July 6 in Los Angeles, batting leadoff and starting at third base.
Hayes was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a walk in the 5-2 Pirates loss.
In addition, the Pirates reinstated infielder/designated hitter Ji Man Choi from the 60-day injured list (Achilles tendon strain) after he completed a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.
Right-handed pitcher Cody Bolton was recalled from the Indians, and lefty reliever Rob Zastryzny was designated for assignment.
Choi’s return to action provides an option, in addition to Carlos Santana and Connor Joe, at first base. Additionally, he gives the Pirates another left-handed bat to utilize in the lineup.
Choi, 32, saw his season derailed early when his Achilles injury landed him on the 10-day injured list, which was later changed to 60 days, in mid-April.
Playing in just nine games before the time of his injury, Choi struggled to find his stride at the plate, hitting just .125 with two home runs, 15 strikeouts and no walks in 32 at-bats.
However, during his rehab assignments with Double-A Altoona and the Indians, Choi fared better.
He batted .250 in three games with the Curve and over six games and 23 at-bats with the Indians, .348 with three homers.
As for Bolton, he’s had no shortage of call-ups this season.
His Friday promotion is the fourth time the Pirates have given him the call since selecting his contract from Indianapolis at the end of April.
The 25-year old has pitched in six games at the major-league level, posting an 11.00 ERA with 17 hits allowed, 10 walks and eight strikeouts over nine innings of work.
Bolton most recently was sent down to Indianapolis when Colin Holderman was activated from the injured list.
While his work with the Pirates has been less than stellar, Bolton has been more effective with the Indians: He owns a 3.03 ERA through 20 games at Triple-A to date.
Zastryzny, whose DFA followed the completion of a rehab assignment and activation from the 15-day injured list (left forearm inflammation), went 1-0 with a 5.29 ERA over 18 games with the Pirates.
Source: TribLIVE
