PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – As of the end of the game, a Pirates comeback win, there were no updates on Esmerlyn Valdez after he left the game Monday after getting hit by a pitch that the Pirates say was in the hand, may have been a little further up on the arm.
Pirates manager Don Kelly said it seemed liked the pitch grazed a little higher on Valdez’s left arm and ricocheted down and ‘hit him pretty good in the wrist area’.
“We’re all praying for him,” said Pirates 2B Brandon Lowe. “We hope for the best. I’m not sure what’s come out or anything else. We saw him earlier and we won so he was in good spirits. I know it’s an uncertain time for him. We’re praying he gets the best news possible.”
What Kelly saw was his team respond to hardship again.
Buc Notes as Pirates come back to win vs. Arizona
“And that's what it's going to take,” Kelly said. “It's going to take all 26 guys to win games and get to where we want to go, and we need everybody pulling in the same direction,” Kelly said. “I think we saw that tonight, especially with Valdy going down. There's adversity everywhere, and these guys have bounced back really good.”
There was no talk yet about making up for the loss of Valdez simply because they didn’t have full reports on the injury. But 14 home runs and 36 RBIs in 38 career games with a 1.084 OPS. It’s pretty obvious the impact.
“Do I need to harp on that?” Lowe said. “The kid’s got, what, 30, 40 games under his belt and he’s sitting around 1.000 OPS. That in and of itself is incredible. He’s been playing a great right field and it’s not just the home runs. He’s taking really mature at-bats. He’s been fantastic for us.”
On the day Endy Rodriguez returned and had a key hit in the 10th inning, another Pirates injury. Considering Valdez is the lone consistent power bat from the right side, a long absence will take a lot to overcome.
‘He’s been fantastic for us’ what was said postgame about Esmerlyn
‘He’s been fantastic for us’ what was said postgame about Esmerlyn
