There's a coffee shortage at Pirates summer camp.
Manager Derek Shelton confirmed Wednesday night that outfielder Gregory Polanco has not practiced the past two days. He did not disclose a reason why.
Tuesday was a light day in camp with a shorter than usual intrasquad game, but Wednesday was a more traditional workout. Fourth outfielder Guillermo Heredia took Polanco's spot in right field.
Major League Baseball teams will not reveal any details about players’ health information in 2020 unless that player consents.
The Pirates have had two players consent to share their positive COVID-19 tests: Reliever Blake Cederlind and outfielder Socrates Brito. Both were isolated, and Brito returned to the field this week.
Closer Keone Kela and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes have been absent from all of Pirates camp so far with no reason given.
Polanco is one of the Pirates' few true power threats in the lineup. After missing most of 2019 with a left shoulder injury, Polanco entered spring training and summer camp in much better shape.
"It’s almost 100 percent, as far as strength," Polanco said during a Zoom call last week. "No pain. No tightness. None of that. I’m good now."
The Pirates will be playing three exhibition games against the Indians over the next week, on July 18, 20 and 22. Their regular season opener is against the Cardinals in St. Louis on July 24.
More from Day 13 of Pirates summer camp.
• Kyle Crick made his second appearance of the camp, getting four outs in his inning since the fill-in center fielder, Major-League assistant Tim McKeithan, dropped a pop fly in center.
"I thought he was good tonight," Shelton said. "Last time out, first time, just getting the rust off ... Cricky was good. Slider was sharp."
As for the dropped fly ball, Shelton said McKeithan told him he was better at shortstop.
"That's just bad managing by me."
• Richard Rodriguez needed just two pitches to get two outs, but was still pulled in favor for Michael Feliz before the inning was done. Shelton said he was doing that just to get guys used to pitching back-to-back days.
"It's just ramping up their volume to get a little closer to a regular season situation," Shelton said.
Of course, that situation wouldn't happen this season with the three-batter minimum rule in effect.
• MLB umpire Jerry Meals has been in camp the past few days, calling balls and strikes Tuesday and umping second base Wednesday.
Umpires need a summer camp, too.
• I don't have an official figure, but Trevor Williams' pitch count was close to 100 pitches, so he seems to be stretched out from a workload standpoint. Joe Musgrove has made a six inning outing in camp, and Derek Holland is not far behind.
"I think it's a testament to what those guys did during quarantine, because they came in a situation where they were ready to throw 60 pitches or 65 pitches, and then [pitching coach] Oscar [Marin] and Mecc [bullpen coach Justin Meccage] have been able to continue to ramp them up," Shelton said. "I think that our pitching group and our medical group did a really good job making sure these guys were lined up when they came in, but I think it's a credit to our starters because they were ready."
MORE CAMP COVERAGE
• Pirates add Gonzales, Peguero to player pool
• Pirates start pumping in crowd noise
