The Pirates place the rookie third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation of the left wrist Rob Biertempfel of the Athletic and Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was among those who relieved. Burglar Wilmer Difo will be added to the active list. Difo is not yet in his 40s, and therefore his contract will have to be formally selected.
In addition, right hand Kyle Crick cleared the COVID-19 intake protocols and returned to the team after the birth of his child, according to a club announcement. Wil Crowe was selected at the alternative training site to clear active grid space for Crick. The return of Crick has filled the Pirates series of 40 men, and so there is a corresponding move to clear space for Difo.
Hayes left the game yesterday after injuring his wrist in a pocket during a knockout attempt. X-rays came back negative, but an MRI revealed inflammation. Hayes had trouble pushing in his glove this morning, so the Pirates chose to shut him down for the time being. There is no indication at this stage that his absence is expected to last very long.
The rebuilding Pirates have enough reason to play things carefully. There is undoubtedly no more important player in the organization than Hayes, a prospect who ripped the cover off the ball in his short MLB debut in 2020. Wrist injuries in particular can sometimes have a long-term impact on a player’s power potential Pittsburgh must be especially careful.
In Hayes’ absence, Erik González, Phillip Evans and Difo can fetch extra playing time on the third base. Difo was once a regular utility player for the Nationals, but the fight against the board slowed down his playing time and eventually led to Washington cutting him loose. The 29-year-old signed a minor league deal with Pittsburgh over the winter.