Pirates RHP Vince Velasquez resumes throwing, 'very encouraging' news for elbow discomfort

The Pittsburgh Pirates got “very encouraging” news regarding starting pitcher Vince Velasquez, who has resumed throwing after leaving last Thursday’s start at Tampa Bay with right elbow discomfort.

The 30-year-old right-hander is projected to throw a live bullpen session early next week. Velasquez probably will require a rehabilitation assignment before returning to the Pirates’ starting rotation, Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said, although that’s still being discussed.

“So we’re hopeful that it will be the minimum time down for Vince,” Tomczyk said before Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. “Since we’re in May and we need him to pitch into August, September and, hopefully, October, we think the right thing to do for him, short-term and long-term, is to get some type of rehab outing but nothing has been firmly established but I would project that.”

• Shortstop Oneil Cruz is “making good strides” four weeks after surgery to repair his fractured left ankle.

“He’s going to get a one-month checkup with X-rays, but things are looking really good,” Tomczyk said. “The wound is healing really good from the scar. You can see his ankle now. The swelling has subsided.”

Tomczyk said Cruz is doing seated upper-body weight training but remains in non-weight bearing status and has to wear his protective boot for another month.

“I know he’s itching to get back, that’s for sure,” Tomczyk said. “A lot of it is going to depend after that on the transition from weight bearing to non-weight bearing and how that ankle responds.

“We’re optimistic right now but, as you’ve heard me say a million times, we want Oneil back when Oneil is ready. If it’s this year, which we believe it will be, that’s awesome for Oneil, that’s awesome for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But we also want him to be a Pittsburgh Pirate for a long time and out there dominating on the field. So right now we’re still in line with that four months, but I think we’ll learn more once he gets out of the boot.”

• Tomczyk said left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny threw a live bullpen Tuesday and “came out of that with no issues.” Zastryzny is scheduled to throw another live bullpen later this week and is expected to go on a rehabilitation assignment sometime next week.

• First baseman/designated hitter Ji-Man Choi (left Achilles) is three weeks removed from receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection and is out the walking boot. Choi will continue to build strength, Tomczyk said, and the Pirates remain optimistic he will resume baseball activities in the eight-week timeframe.

“The goal right now is to get him back into competition, ideally at eight weeks, in the majors leagues,” Tomczyk said. “But if we need more time, then we’ll take it. We want him when he comes back to be Ji-Man and not re-aggravate it. To be determined, but the goal is to get him back into major-league competition.”

• Right-handed reliever Wil Crowe (right shoulder) also received a PRP injection and is two weeks into a month-long shutdown from throwing.

• Right-hander Max Kranick, recovering from Tommy John surgery last June, is throwing side sessions twice a week but is not expected to pitch in games until the second half of the season.

“With these Tommy Johns, it’s the long game,” Tomczyk said, “not getting him back as quickly as possible.”