Pirates catcher Joey Bart remains in concussion protocol; reliever Dauri Moreta closes in on Tommy John recovery
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart has returned to full baseball activities but remains in concussion protocol after absorbing multiple blows behind the plate May 27 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, said Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk.
Bart, 28, was placed on the seven-day injured list May 28 after being hit by a foul ball and then catching a backswing off the helmet the previous night, resulting in mid-game removal after he displayed signs of nausea.
Bart is not yet at game readiness and whether a rehabilitation assignment will be required before he returns to action has yet to be determined.
But, all things considered, Tomczyk rated his concussion on the milder side.
“It is a considered a mild traumatic brain injury, but this was on the lesser scale of a concussion,” Tomczyk said Wednesday at PNC Park. “His symptoms recovered rather quickly, so we could engage in high-intensity exercise training. But, again, I use that term, ‘mild,’ in a medical sense because we are talking about someone’s brain.”
Tomczyk also offered an update on Pirates reliever Dauri Moreta, who has been rehabbing in the minor leagues since late April.
He arrived at Triple-A Indianapolis on May 6, posting a 2.79 ERA in 11 games with 14 strikeouts and nine walks.
Currently on the 60-day injured list as a result of Tommy John surgery that kept him from pitching in 2024, Moreta appears to be approaching the end of his rehab assignment.
“From a medical perspective, we would have no issues with recommending him being game readiness very soon,” Tomczyk said.
Moreta, a 29-year-old righty, last pitched for the Pirates on Oct. 1, 2023. That season, he went 5-2 with a 3.72 ERA in 55 appearances out of the bullpen.
Like Moreta, right-hander Johan Oviedo also is sidelined after Tommy John surgery, which erased his 2024 campaign, as well.
The 27-year-old began spring training with hopes of earning a rotation spot, but a latissimus dorsi injury in early March complicated his recovery.
Tomczyk partially attributed that bump in the road to being overly aggressive in terms of ramping up to full-velocity throwing.
Now, the Pirates are taking no such chances with Oviedo, who threw a bullpen session Tuesday in Bradenton.
Later this week, Oviedo is slated to toss live batting practice, with a velocity restriction of 93-94 mph.
“That’s really exciting for him,” Tomczyk said. “He’s feeling really good from the lat and the Tommy John surgery. A nice, monumental moment for Johan.”
Oviedo showed promise in 2023, making 32 starts for the Pirates and going 9-14 with a 4.31 ERA.
As for right-hander Jared Jones, who underwent reparative UCL surgery in his throwing arm May 21, Tomczyk said he will be on the mend for approximately four to six weeks before any sort of light exercise activity can commence.
Reliever Colin Holderman (right thumb tenosynovitis) remains on the 15-day injured list and has experienced a setback in the form of a pause to his finger properly healing.
As a result, Holderman is not yet cleared for throwing. His status will be reassessed Friday.
At the time of his injury, Holderman was 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 14 games.
Tomczyk also offered updates on relievers Justin Lawrence and Tim Mayza, both of whom are on the 60-day injured list.
Lawrence, 30, is limited to strengthening and range-of-motion activities because of right elbow inflammation, with his status to be assessed in a few weeks.
He last pitched April 22.
The 33-year-old Mayza is dealing with a left shoulder lat muscle strain and has received clearance to begin a plyometric program.
After about two weeks, Mayza will be in line to begin throwing the baseball.
Mayza’s last appearance came April 18.
Justin Guerriero is a TribLive reporter covering the Penguins, Pirates and college sports. A Pittsburgh native, he is a Central Catholic and University of Colorado graduate. He joined the Trib in 2022 after covering the Colorado Buffaloes for Rivals and freelancing for the Denver Post. He can be reached at jguerriero@triblive.com.
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