Three injured Pittsburgh Pirates — pitcher Martin Perez, catcher Joey Bart and infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae — are set to begin an important step toward returning to action by beginning a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis this weekend.
Bae and Bart were in the Indians’ lineup Friday vs. the Iowa Cubs, while Perez is slated to start Saturday (with Bart catching).
Perez’s return in particular has the potential to bolster the Pirates, who, after Friday’s series opener vs. the Tampa Bay Rays, will have thrown three bullpen games in June largely because of injuries absorbed by the starting rotation.
The 33-year-old Perez has been on the injured list since late May with a left groin strain.
Before going down, he was 1-3 with a 4.71 ERA over 11 starts and 57 1/3 innings of work.
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said it is likely Perez will throw five innings Saturday for the Indians. Then a decision will be made on whether another rehab start is warranted.
“From a medical perspective, we’re mostly concerned that he comes out healthy and clean,” Tomczyk said. “Then you have the element of performance and with (manager Derek Shelton and general manager Ben Cherington). And, most importantly, with Martin and how he felt.
“Knowing him, he’ll probably have a really good outing and be able to say, ‘Yes, I’m ready to go and get Major League hitters out.’ From a health perspective, this is a very important step that he’s facing hitters again and facing competition. We’ll reassess him after.”
Tomczyk also specified Bart’s injury that’s landed the catcher on the injured list since May 27: a sprain of the UCL in his thumb (not to be confused with the elbow ligament).
At the time of his injury, Bart had played 22 games for the Pirates, batting .267 with four homers and 12 RBIs.
Bae, who dealt with a hip muscle sprain to begin the year, again landed on the injured list June 3 with a right wrist sprain.
Called up from Triple-A in late May, Bae played eight games for the Pirates, hitting .208 with two RBIs before injuring his wrist.
Fellow catcher Henry Davis remains in concussion protocol and has been experiencing mild signs of symptoms of late.
At the moment, the 24-year-old former No. 1 overall pick is not performing “high-level catching (or) high-level exertional activities just yet,” per Tomczyk.
However, Davis is hitting, playing catch, catching bullpen sessions and running the bases.
Lefty reliever Ryan Borucki (triceps inflammation) and lefty starter Marco Gonzales (forearm muscle strain) threw live batting practice Friday at PNC Park.
Per Tomczyk, the next steps for both pitchers will either be another live batting practice or consideration for rehab assignments.
Borucki has been sidelined since early April, and Gonzales was sidelined a week later, on April 14.
Right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester is with the Indians, for whom he threw a live batting practice session Friday.
He is anticipated to remain at Triple-A for the time being.
The next steps for Priester will be tossing a bullpen session and making a rehab start.
Lastly, righty reliever Hunter Stratton, injured since June 14 (triceps strain), has not resumed throwing yet.
Note: Tomczyk also had an update on catcher Endy Rodriguez, recovering from Tommy John surgery. Rodriguez has started playing catch and is hitting from both sides of the plate. “No issues at all,” Tomczyk said of Rodriguez’s ongoing recovery.
