The Pittsburgh Pirates got good news with Endy Rodriguez’s right index finger injury, as hand specialists confirmed there were no broken bones but the “moderate-sized” laceration on his knuckle required five stitches and a three-day window of immobilization.
The Pirates will proceed with caution, given that Rodriguez is a switch-hitting catcher/first baseman who missed the majority of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow.
“We’re trying to do everything we can to keep everything else going,” Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday afternoon. “We do have a compounding factor. He worked his tail off with that elbow surgery, coming back from that. That is not an issue. But we are aware and cognizant that we have to be considerate of that injury that he worked hard to come back from. … We’re considering the holistic arm here.”
Tomczyk warned that the Pirates have to be protective of Rodriguez during the immobilization process to allow the skin to heal on the crease of his knuckle.
“Speed’s not going to be our friend, because even when the sutures are removed, that skin is going to be new. It’s going to be fresh,” Tomczyk said. “So we have to get creative with how we bandage it, how we protect it a little bit. … It won’t take as much as you think. But it’s going to take some time.”
The Pirates activated Gold Glove utility infielder Jared Triolo from the 10-day injured list Wednesday, and Tomczyk said three other players are working their way back into the lineup.
Two-time All-Star Bryan Reynolds, who has been used at designated hitter while dealing with a shoulder injury, is finishing a throwing program to return to the outfield.
“He’s really close for Derek to just deploy as needed,” Tomczyk said.
Catcher Joey Bart, whose back locked up Friday at Cincinnati, is going through the process of returning to playing. Tomczyk said Bart is doing “pretty intense” catching drills with catching coach/bullpen catcher Jordan Comadena and bullpen coach Miguel Perez, along with throwing, running the bases and swinging the bat.
“He’s going through a workout again today, and what we’re hoping for is he continues to improve,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “Hopefully, we can get a positive report.”
Right-handed reliever Colin Holderman (right knee) threw 15 pitches in a live bullpen Wednesday and is expected to go on a rehab assignment later this week, Tomczyk said, “so he’s in a good spot.”
Tomczyk also was optimistic about the progress of first baseman Spencer Horwitz in his recovery from right wrist surgery in February. Horwitz has returned to full baseball activities and is building up his hitting volume in hopes of starting a rehab assignment soon.
“He’s hitting velocity. He’s hitting off the Trajekt. He’s fielding ground balls. He’s throwing to positions,” Tomczyk said. “He’s really close to getting out.”
The next step for Horwitz, Tomczyk said, is to transition to Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., where he is expected to take his first live at-bats since September against right-handed reliever Dauri Moreta. Horwitz is behind schedule on the original six-to-eight week timeline to return. After missing all of spring training and the first three weeks of the season, Horwitz has to increase the volume of his live hitting.
“There were no official setbacks, but we want to make sure this was a sustainable return so this was based on the timing of the season,” Tomczyk said. “We felt it was appropriate to take a little extra time on a phase of his rehab.”
Second baseman Nick Gonzales, out since Opening Day with a nondisplaced fracture in his left ankle, will have imaging done Friday. Gonzales has progressed to the point where he’s been cleared to use an anti-gravity treadmill to reduce the stress on his body.
“The doctors didn’t want his entire body weight,” Tomczyk said, “but he is walking on anti-gravity or a boost treadmill so he’s making some nice strides.”
Right-handed starter Johan Oviedo, whose return from Tommy John surgery was interrupted by a right lat strain, was in Pittsburgh last week for a six-week checkup and has started to play catch out to 75 feet.
“We’ll just continue to walk through the return-to-pitch and return-to-throw progression,” Tomczyk said. “He’s a little bit away, a ways away.”