The Pirates opener is still three weeks away – April 1st in Chicago – but pretty soon, as the great philosopher Yogi Berra once proclaimed, it will be getting late early. So for a couple of Pirates competing for starting positions – at the same position – it is in their best interests to get back on the field.
Presumptive starting shortstop Kevin Newman left Sunday’s game with a tight hamstring while Cole Tucker has been nursing a bruised thumb and has played just one Grapefruit League game, but Director of Sports medicine Todd Tomczak says both players are close to returning.
Regarding Newman - “He’s making daily progress, back to light baseball activities. He does not feel the tightness that he felt during (when he came out of) the game so he’s progressing nicely.”
As for Tucker - “He has resumed all hitting activities from both sides of the plate; he’s responding well to the volume of work and we’re going to continue to monitor him hopefully he can become a player again very soon.
So it sounds as if Tucker is closer, since Newman’s “light” work will have to get a little heavier and hamstring’s can be tricky, especially since there isn’t any urgency. Yet.
Neither Newman nor Tucker will be rushed but they also can’t help but notice that, while they are rehabbing, Erik Gonzalez is batting .500 – 6-for-12.