Fractured right wrist ends Pirates RF Gregory Polanco's winter ball season

Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco fractured his wrist, ending his winter ball season in his native Dominican Republic, the latest setback in his injury-riddled career.

The Pirates said in a statement Polanco suffered a small nondisplaced fracture of the triquetrum bone and will have his wrist immobilized “for a short period of time” but is projected to ready for “full baseball activities” by spring training.

The Escogido Lions baseball club reported Polanco is out for the remainder of the winter ball season, and manager Jose Gomez said Polanco will require a cast on his right wrist for four weeks.

Informa Jose Gómez dirigente de los @EscogidoBBClub que Gregory Polanco ha finalizado su participación con el equipo por una fractura en su muñeca derecha, tendrá un yeso por alrededor 4 semanas.

— Daniel Araujo (@DanielAraujoRD) December 26, 2020

Polanco was playing winter ball with the blessing of the Pirates after a season in which he struggled at the plate. He slashed .153/.214/.325 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 50 games, leading the team with 65 strikeouts after missing two weeks of summer camp and the opening weekend of the season after contracting covid-19 in July.

“I think it speaks to Gregory’s desire and commitment to get better and probably awareness also that there are things he’s got to find and improve on,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said in November. “He was really excited about the prospect of playing a little bit more, getting some more at-bats. We’re very supportive of it.”

Polanco, 29, was batting .197/.276/.342 with two homers and nine RBIs in 21 games for Leones del Escogido. Polanco had season-ending shoulder surgery after an awkward slide in September 2018 and played in only 42 games in 2019.