Recovering injured veterans will force difficult roster decisions for Pirates

While the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to make frequent use of rookies — six were in the starting lineup Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays — four veterans are close to returning from the injured list, general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday on his radio show on 93.7 FM.

While it won’t be easy to decide who stays on the major-league roster and who loses his spot, Cherington welcomes the question.

“We’re looking forward to those decisions. It will just mean we’ll be that much deeper and stronger,” he said.

The rehabbing veteran position players are Josh VanMeter (left ring finger fracture), Kevin Newman (left groin strain), Yoshi Tsutsugo (lumbar muscle strain) and Ben Gamel (left hamstring strain).

“Knock on wood, hopefully, we’re getting closer to some of the guys coming back,” Cherington said. “My guess is VanMeter would be the first of that list just because of the nature of his injury, and he’s missed a little bit less time than the other guys. We don’t think he needs quite as long a rehab assignment.”

VanMeter, Newman, Tsutsugo, Gamel are playing in Triple-A Indianapolis in advance of their expected return.

“They’ll continue to get a little bit more playing time into this week,” Cherington said. “Then, we’ll continue to evaluate that, but expect all of them will be back sooner rather than later.”

Getting the veterans back would improve the Pirates’ bench depth, but Newman would not replace shortstop Oneil Cruz in the starting lineup too often. Tsutsugo started 27 games at first base before his injury, but Michael Chavis has looked good there in his absence. While Gamel recovers, rookie outfielders Jack Suwinski, Cal Mitchell and Bligh Madris are getting their first taste of the majors. Suwinski is tied for the team lead in home runs with Bryan Reynolds (12), Madris was hitting .391 after hitting a double Sunday, and Mitchell started in right field.

Someone — a rookie or vet — must be sacrificed in some official manner.

“The simple thing, it will just come down to what’s our best group of 13 position players,” Cherington said. “If that includes a young player, great. If it’s best a young player goes back to Indy where they can play every day and take the learning that they’ve gotten in the major leagues and apply it and keep developing, great.

“Understand, (a demotion to Triple-A) doesn’t mean we’re losing anybody. In some cases, it might mean going back to Indy for a little bit. There’s nothing wrong with that. It could very well be that that very same player comes back again at some point or is just in a much stronger position for us going into next year.”

Among other players, infielder Tucupita Marcarno (covid) and pitcher Duane Underwood Jr. (covid) participated in a live batting practice Saturday in Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla.

“Both Marcano (who played Sunday for the Single-A Bradenton Marauders) and Underwood will get back into (rehab) games over the next few days,” Cherington said. “And, hopefully, that means they’re back sooner rather than later.”

He said pitcher Dillon Peters (low back strain) and outfielder Jake Marisnick (left thumb surgery) are “not too far behind” the others.

Meanwhile, outfielder Greg Allen is making progress, Cherington said. “We expect and hope we will see him in games sometime as we get deeper in July.”

Meanwhile, the Pirate have put a pause on pitcher Nick Mears’ rehab after elbow surgery.

“He just wasn’t feeling great,” he said. “Let’s not force this. Let’s let it calm down. We hope and expect it will not be a long pause.

“I still think there’s plenty of season to see Nick Mears back in our bullpen in Pittsburgh. He had really made some strides last year and started to look like someone we are able to rely on.”