PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Ke'Bryan Hayes going on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist injury, the Pirates decided to recall veteran utility infielder Wilmer Difo instead of veteran third baseman Todd Frazier.
"Given all the information we have and starting with our belief that this should be a relatively short IL stay for Ke'Bryan," Pirates GM Ben Cherington said during his show on the Pirates Radio Network and 93.7 The Fan. "That's certainly our hope. Based on that, based on the fact that Difo is here, had a good Spring Training, is really versatile. Obviously has major league experience, can do a lot of things on the field."
Cherington said Phil Evans (who started at third base on Sunday), Erik Gonzalez (who immediately replaced Hayes on Saturday) and Difo will man third. The Bucs general manager said it gives manager Derek Shelton more options off the bench.
As for specifically why not adding Todd Frazier, the veteran who led the team in home runs in Spring Training.
"Our belief right now is that it's a short stay on the I-L for Ke'Bryan," Cherington reiterated. "If that's the case, obviously he will be back and playing third base every day hopefully not too long from now. If this looked like a much longer stay, maybe there would have been other considerations. Given what we know right now, we chose to add some versatility."
Then there is the challenge to try and get a player not currently with the team through the bubble.
"It would have been impossible to get someone from the alternate site here today," Cherington said Sunday. "They would have to go through intake, isolation (for COVID-19 protocols). That's what the Taxi Squad is for. That's why we bring five players on the road."
Picked up as a free agent from the Nationals, Difo hit .268 in Grapefruit League play with 2 doubles and 3 RBI. Difo hit .071 in 12 games with Washington in 2020. The 29-year-old switch-hitter has a career .247 average in the majors with 15 HR and 79 RBI.
