PHILADELPHIA -- Chris Archer still isn't throwing.
Gregory Polanco still isn't throwing full-tilt.
With the calendar about to flip to September, all involved with the Pirates in the rehabilitation of both will have to make decisions sooner rather than later, Todd Tomczyk, the Pirates' director of sports medicine, told reporters Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, though he very much left open the possibility that one or both could return in 2019.
Archer, out with a shoulder injury sustained eight days ago at PNC Park, has begun what Tomczyk described as "advanced, one-armed plyometrics," and I saw him throwing a medicine ball off the wall in the clubhouse here Wednesday, but there's nothing yet scheduled with an actual baseball.
"Chris' hope is to return to pitch," Tomczyk said, "or at least to get his arm feeling right before the end of the season."
Archer underwent a formal reassessment here Wednesday, one that Tomczyk labeled "encouraging news," adding, "Chris feels much better. Good range of motion. Overall good strength."
Polanco, recovering from his 2018 shoulder surgery and the recurring injury that followed this summer, continues to perform all regular baseball activities in Bradenton, Fla., but he also continues to be limited in his throwing. One hope, Tomczyk said, has been to send him to Class AAA Indianapolis for a handful of games, but only five remain.
"Gregory continues to ramp up the intensity of his throws and his volume of swings," Tomczyk said, "Overall, he's responding well to this point. We're going to see in the coming days how he'll respond to maximum effort."
• Jameson Taillon, 15 days removed from Tommy John surgery, is regularly reporting to PNC Park, Tomczyk said. He'll wear an arm brace for quite a while.
• Clay Holmes, on the 10-day IL with what the team is calling "left quadriceps discomfort," threw a two-inning, 33-pitch side session here Wednesday.
• Chad Kuhl, Edgar Santana and Nick Burdi are continuing long-term rehabs without setbacks. Kuhl's here, the other two in Bradenton.
• Most entertaining portion of the session, maybe inadvertently, came when Tomczyk opened his statement on Burdi's status by saying, "And finally ... " It's as if Lonnie Chisenhall no longer exists.
