PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – NL Rookie of the Year favorite Ke’Bryan Hayes will return to the Pirates Thursday at PNC Park. There is also some other injury news and the discussion of a 6-man rotation.
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Evans and Moran
The Pirates starting first baseman and their best hitting, right-handed utility player are about to start rehab assignments.
Colin Moran removed from the game on May 8 with a groin injury while Phillip Evans suffered a hamstring injury on May 12.
“I think close as is imminent,” GM Ben Cherington said of each preparing for games in the minors. “I think once the major league team leaves for Kansas City. I would expect it to start soon.”
Originally the hope for Moran, .297 (1st on team), 4 HR, 19 RBI (still 2nd on the team) and Evans, .216, 4 HR, 8 RBI was for no minor league work.
“It’s gone long enough at this point it’s best for them to get live at bats and build up,” Cherington said. “Make sure we get through the base-running and defense a little bit.”
“Not sure it (the rehab assignment) would be as long as Ke’Bryan’s is, but will get that started this week.”
Cahill/6 man rotation
RHP Trevor Cahill (1-5, 6.81 ERA) threw a side session, but they want to see him throw against live batters. He could make a rehab start soon or at least a simulated game. Cherington wants to make sure and keep his pitch count up.
This isn’t a stress to the Pirates as they don’t expect any pitcher to go 30 starts after being so limited last year. There will likely be stretches of a 6-man rotation and we could be seeing that coming up.
“It is a possibility,” Cherington said. “We want to be proactive and be as thoughtful as we can about helping our group of starting pitchers be in the best spot to compete, but also to pitch much more than they were asked to last year.”
“When there is an opportunity to give guys an extra day. We may at some point look to skipping a start with certain guys as a preventative measure. There may be a point when we use six guys.”
“We want to use guys as effectively and efficiently as we can. Part of that will be keeping in mind the recovery coming off a really strange season.”