Right fielder Gregory Polanco has cleared the COVID-19 safety protocols and has been working out at PNC Park.
Polanco posted a photo of him in PNC Park's weight room to his Instagram story Friday night with the caption, "Back at it, see yall soon."
On Thursday, general manager Ben Cherington said, "We certainly hope and expect Polanco is back sooner rather than later." However, there is no timetable yet for his return.
"We have to see how his body is," Derek Shelton said in a pregame Zoom call Saturday. "As soon as we feel or deem his body is ready to come back, then he will be able to come back, assessment-wise... We’re going to make sure that he’s in a position where his body is deemed healthy.”
Polanco started summer camp with the rest of his team, but started being absent from practice on July 14. Later that week, Shelton confirmed that Polanco had tested positive for COVID-19, and that he gave his consent to share.
Polanco is coming off an injury-shortened 2019 campaign where he slashed .242/.301/.425 with six home runs and 17 RBIs over 167 plate appearances. He admitted later in the year that he rushed back from his left shoulder surgery, but came into spring training and summer camp in much better shape.
"It’s not like before. It’s way better," Polanco said on July 9 in summer camp. "It’s almost 100 percent, as far as strength. No pain. No tightness. None of that. I’m good now. Every week, I feel a little bit [better]. I feel really close to where I was before the injury."
The Pirates have only four true outfielders on their 30-man roster at the moment: Bryan Reynolds, Jarrod Dyson, Guillermo Heredia and Jason Martin. Shelton has said that Heredia will be getting the majority of the playing time in right in Polanco's absence.
