PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates starting pitcher Chad Kuhl is expected to make his first rehab assignment on Wednesday for AAA Indianapolis playing in St. Paul.
The Opening Day starter hasn’t pitched since April 18 due to right shoulder soreness. He will throw around 45 pitches, which could mean he will make another rehab start before joining the Pirates.
The righty is 0-1 in 2021 with a 6.32 ERA over 15.2 innings with 16 walks to 14 strikeouts.
Hayes closer
Ke’Bryan Hayes remains with the team and going through drills. Shelton said he’s physically very good and said they are really close to going out on a rehab assignment. Hayes out with a wrist injury since the second game of the season.
Stallings
Shelton said catcher Jacob Stallings feels better today and thinks the day off was good for him. He could catch on Tuesday if needed, but they thought it would be good to give him a day off as he works through the soreness.
Stallings took a foul ball off the leg Sunday and had to come out of the game.
Ildemaro Vargas
Pirates claimed infielder Ildamaro Vargas off waivers from the Cubs on Monday.
“His versatility is extremely important to us,” Shelton said. “We saw him play short against us earlier in the year in Chicago. Can play second, short, third, can bump into both right and left field. The fact that he’s a switch-hitter helps us a ton.”
“I think with where we are at with our injuries, the more versatility we can have is important. When a guy like him goes on the waiver wire, it’s someone who really fits our club right now.”
Rennie Stennett
Two-time World Champion Pirate Rennie Stennett passed away of cancer at age 72 on Tuesday. Stennett worked the last couple of years as a volunteer coach during Spring Training.
“Found out this morning and went back through my phone,” Shelton said. “I reached out to everybody who was in camp last year and told them with regulations they couldn’t be in camp this year. He left me a really cool message.”
“The message that he sent about what we are doing. The Pirates, our staff. It was pretty cool. That message will never be deleted. It will stay with me.”
Stennett hit .336 in 1977 finishing second to teammate Dave Parker for the NL Batting Crown. He also went 7-for-7 in a regulation game.