Pirates relievers Tim Mayza, Justin Lawrence 'feeling good' after 1st rehab outings

After four months of dealing with injuries, Pittsburgh Pirates relievers Tim Mayza and Justin Lawrence began rehabilitation assignments Tuesday night with the Low-A Bradenton Marauders.

Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk on Wednesday morning called it “really exciting, encouraging news” that Mayza and Lawrence “got through the outing really good, feeling good.”

The left-handed Mayza (left shoulder) opened for the Marauders, allowing two hits with one strikeout, throwing 14 of his 20 pitches for strikes in two-thirds of an inning. He was removed after giving up a two-out double. The right-handed Lawrence (right elbow) had three strikeouts and issued a walk while throwing 13 of his 22 pitches for strikes in the second inning.

Tomczyk said the pair, who were both injured in April and have gone through many steps of the recovery process together, are expected to transition to the upper levels of the minors this weekend or early next week.

“Very excited to see those guys,” Tomczyk said. “It’s been a long four months for those two, but they met the demands of the rehab. Their metrics returned to their baseline. And, most importantly, last night when we had conversations with them, they came out feeling pretty good.”

• Center fielder Oneil Cruz continues to take swings in the batting cage and do plyometrics on the field but remains in the concussion protocol and is not ready for the Pirates to submit paperwork for clearance.

“We’re still working through some things,” Tomczyk said. “It’s an encouraging sign that he’s making progress, improving and he’s feeling better. He has not run the bases, but it’s less about checking boxes of the baseball skill set. It’s more about how he’s recovering and responding to the concussion protocol exercises.”

• The ulnar nerve transposition surgery performed by Drs. Neal ElAttrache and Stephen Shinn on catcher/first baseman Endy Rodriguez’s right elbow showed that the reconstructive ligament “is strong and stable,” Tomczyk said, and there are “zero concerns of that ligament at this point.”

• Right-handed starter Jared Jones, who had surgery for a hybrid InternalBrace on his right elbow in May, will visit surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in September.

“That appointment is going to be a nice landmark because that’s going to give us guidance and clearance, if you must, for him to resume playing catch,” Tomczyk said. “We anticipate that happening, but until we get the green light from Dr. Meister, we’re still pushing forward with all the rehab.”

• Infielder Enmanuel Valdez, who had surgery in May on his left shoulder, will visit Dr. Jeffrey Dugas later this month and is expected to receive clearance to resume hitting. Valdez remains on track to begin playing in games in October.