Pirates manager Clint Hurdle says injury bug like 'nothing' he's seen before

It was almost four weeks ago an exasperated Clint Hurdle, after looking at his team’s 15-player injured list, suggested perhaps that was just the Pittsburgh Pirates “new normal.”

Twenty-eight games and six more players headed to the IL later, the veteran manager of more than 2,500 MLB games suggested he has never been a part of anything like the injury run the Pirates remain on.

“It’s hard for me to drop back 15 years ago, because we had some rough sledding in Colorado (as manager of the Rockies) early, then a couple special seasons, (during) ‘07 a lot of crazy things went on,” Hurdle reflected from his PNC Park office Saturday afternoon.

“But nothing to this degree over a first third of a season that I’ve ever been a part of.”

The Pirates placed their MLB-most 21st player onto the injured list Saturday when right-hander Chris Stratton landed on the 10-day list because of right side discomfort that flamed up during Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Stratton is the fourth reliever to go on the IL. The Pirates have also had six starting pitchers, five outfielders, three infielders and two catchers on the list this season.

And it’s not even Memorial Day yet. Has all the adversity made it feel a lot later than that?

“It really doesn’t because I look at the calendar, and it is what it is,” Hurdle said.

“We’ve just had some pretty full days. Some of the days more full and active than others.”

Saturday was one of those in the transaction department, as the team made moves affecting five players: Stratton to the IL, right-hander Dovydas Neverauskas recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, right-hander Michael Feliz optioned to Triple-A, right-hander Rookie Davis selected from Indianapolis and outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL.

Among those who have been out are the Pirates’ top four projected outfielders (two remain on it), two starting infielders (both are still on it), four-fifths of the rotation (two remain on it) and two of their three highest-leverage relievers (eighth-inning man Keone Kela was on a rehab in Indianapolis as Saturday’s moves were made).

That the Pirates remain over .500 through it all (25-23 heading into Saturday) is a testament to the organizational depth that has shined through thus far.

“What it does is reaffirm the fact that we need all of us in this decision-making process,” Hurdle said of player acquisition and development at the upper levels of the minors.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 21 players matches the most the Pirates have placed on their disabled/injures list for a full season in at least the past 20 years. In 2011, the Pirates lost 21 players to injury.

“The attitude these men have had in clubhouse (and) the training staff — everyone in here is tied together — has been everything you could ask to continue to put us in a position to go out and compete and play to the best of our abilities with the people that we have,” Hurdle said. “We are giving it the best we can with what we have and where we are.”

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