Pirates DH Andrew McCutchen close to returning, 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes still up in the air

The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the verge of getting designated hitter Andrew McCutchen back and remain cautiously optimistic third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes will play again this season.

Where McCutchen tested his left knee by running the bases and taking batting practice Tuesday, when he became eligible to come off the 10-day injured list, Hayes still isn’t doing any baseball activity, Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said.

Tomczyk said the Pirates are still “learning more” about the lumbar spine inflammation that has sidelined Hayes since Aug. 19, as the Gold Glove winner has seen a “plethora” of doctors and experts, some of whom have requested additional studies. Tomczyk did confirm there is an acute disk injury, though he declined to get into specifics.

“Call me the eternal optimist,” Tomczyk said. “Without comprehensive information, I’d love to think he’s going to play this year. It’s too early to say one way or the other right now because we just don’t have enough information.”

In other Pirates injury news:

• Right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton underwent surgery by team doctors Darren Frank and Greg Altman to repair a torn patella in his left knee, an injury suffered in the fourth inning Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, and is projected to return to full baseball competition in seven to 10 months.

“More importantly, Hunter is in a really good mindset,” Tomczyk said. “He’s ready to get back and, knowing Hunter like I do and I think some of you have experienced him, he is going to dominate this rehab and we have no reason to believe he won’t be back within that time frame.”

• Left-handed starter Marco Gonzales (left forearm) consulted with Dr. Neil ElAttrache, who performed his Tommy John surgery in 2016, and discovered that while his ulnar collateral ligament is intact, he will require surgery to fix his flexor tendon. Gonzales will have surgery in September at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles. Tomczyk said Gonzales is likely out nine months to a year.

• Relievers Ryan Borucki (left triceps) and Colin Holderman (right wrist) are continuing their rehabilitation assignments at Triple-A Indianapolis with “no issues.” Both are scheduled to pitch Wednesday for the Indians.

• Right-handers Johan Oviedo and Dauri Moreta are both rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery. Oviedo, who is 8 ½ months removed from surgery, is throwing up to 105 feet and “doing really well,” Tomczyk said. Moreta had his five-month checkup and was cleared to begin a plyometric program, a precursor to a throwing program.

“A huge milestone for Dauri Moreta,” Tomczyk said. “It seems like it’s taken forever for him but the season has gone really fast. But he’s actually going to get something he loves to do and that’s throw a baseball. So really, really encouraging news for those two.”

• Righty reliever Daulton Jeffries also had “encouraging news,” as he threw a live batting practice at Indianapolis and “came out of that feeling really good.” He is expected to start a rehab assignment at Indianapolis soon. Righty Braxton Ashcraft, a top-10 prospect, also is expected to return to game action for Indianapolis later this week after being out with a forearm strain.

• At catcher, Joey Bart is “still in the early phases” of recovering from his left hamstring strain and has played light catch but no other baseball activities.

Endy Rodriguez is making “unbelievable progress” in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his right (throwing) elbow, Tomczyk said, and serving as designated hitter and hitting from both sides of the plate in the Florida Complex League.

“And he’s starting to inch back into potentially looking into getting him into a game as a catcher,” Tomczyk said. “Probably in early September, he’ll start down in the Florida League and see how he responds and go from there. Unbelievable progress for Endy. It’s just a testament to how hard he’s worked in his rehab.”