Pirates notebook: Hoy Park returns as Michael Chavis goes on IL, taxi squad travels to Chicago

A day before major-league rosters can expand to 28 players for the final month of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates shuffled theirs by making a move and preparing for two more.

The Pirates placed infielder/outfielder Michael Chavis on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow strain and recalled infielder/outfielder Hoy Park from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Chavis was injured Saturday trying to make a diving catch while playing right field against the St. Louis Cardinals. Pirates manager Derek Shelton said it was more an issue of discomfort.

“He had some imaging done yesterday, and we thought it was nothing drastic or major,” Shelton said. “It was just more the soreness and him trying to get him back.”

A possible good sign for the Pirates is rookie third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who injured his right hand Sunday, was not placed on the IL. Hayes was not in the starting lineup Tuesday night at the Chicago White Sox, and Shelton called his status “day to day,” adding he will be reevaluated Wednesday.

Park makes his second stint with the Pirates. Acquired from the New York Yankees in the Clay Holmes trade, Park made his Pirates debut Aug. 1 and hit safely in his first six games, including extra-base hits in each of his first three games, before going hitless in the next seven. He batted .200 (12 for 60) with four doubles, one home run and five RBIs in 18 games with the Pirates before being optioned Aug. 23 to Indianapolis, where he was 3 for 12 (.250) with three RBIs in five games.

“I think just consistent at-bats, maybe getting a little more grounded back in,” Shelton said. “As we talked about, when you’re in the big leagues and teams start to make adjustments to you, sometimes you just need a little of ability to catch your breath, and that’s what we were able to get Hoy when he was away down there.”

No Castro

Shelton cited flexibility as a reason the Pirates chose Hoy over Rodolfo Castro, who slashed .198/.258/.395 with two doubles, five home runs and eight RBIs in 31 games with the Pirates before being optioned to Double-A Altoona on Aug. 23. Park has played second base, shortstop and all three outfield positions for the Pirates this season, while Castro played on second base and third base.

Shelton also echoed the sentiments of Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, who said last week that he sent Castro to Altoona to get regular playing time at shortstop and have the 22-year-old serve as a leader for the Curve.

“We thought he had a really good connection in that clubhouse, meant a lot to that team and had become a leader on that team,” Cherington said. “As that team is gearing up for the stretch – and some new players added to that team also – we thought it could be good for him to go back and be part of that team again, go back into a leadership role on that team and be part of what they’re trying to do down the stretch.”

Calling for a taxi

Shelton confirmed the Pirates brought three players – infielder/outfielder Phillip Evans and right-handed pitchers Max Kranick and Shelby Miller – to Chicago as members of the taxi squad, with plans to activate two of them Wednesday.

The Pirates signed Miller, who has pitched for the Cardinals, Braves, Diamondbacks and Cubs, to a minor-league contract June 26. The 30-year-old was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 14 innings over 10 games with Indianapolis, with all but one of his appearances in relief.

Evans batted .208 with five doubles, five home runs and 16 RBIs in 72 games with the Pirates before being optioned to Indianapolis on Aug. 7. Evans was slashing .280/.345/.373 in 23 games for the Indians.

Kranick was 1-2 with a 7.20 ERA in five starts for the Pirates this season. He is 2-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 10 starts at Indianapolis.