ST. LOUIS -- It’s been a tedious, arduous process for Ke’Bryan Hayes in his attempt to re-join the Pirates after suffering a wrist injury in the second game of the season.
Hayes isn’t eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until June 3, but he’s hit a point in his rehab that will allow him to get back into games. On Thursday, he participated in a simulated game at Busch Stadium ahead of the Pirates’ contest against the Cardinals. The next steps, according to director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk, are for Hayes to join Indianapolis for rehab games while the Class AAA club plays a six-game series in St. Paul this week.
Since he’s at least 14 days from returning to the big-league club, Tomczyk did not offer specifics on Hayes’ rehab calendar.
“There is a set expectation of games played, plate appearances, and I think the most important part is, we're going to see Ke'Bryan Hayes play and head back to his goal of playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates and all it's fans,” Tomczyk said. “Very encouraging news, and he has been out for a substantial amount of time, so there needs to be an adequate build up of team activity so that when he's ready, he's ready to impact this club."
Derek Shelton compared Hayes’ build up back to full strength to a spring training-like endeavor considering it’ll be almost two full months between major league games, should he return in early June.
“We have to make sure that we build in the days that he needs to play,” Shelton said. “There’ll probably be days that he DHs and just hits. But we have to get him back in baseball shape.”
Shelton explained that the eyes are the first thing to adjust when a player gets back on the field after an extended absence. From there, it takes some time for a player to get their legs back under them, which is impossible to do properly in a simulated situation outside of a real game environment.
“Training your eyes again when you're a hitter, being able to see pitches, see the depth of pitches,” Shelton explained. “He’s taking ground balls a lot and we've run the bases with him continuously, but it's different than standing there for five innings, six innings, seven innings and then getting up to nine innings and being on your feet. It’s something you have to work through in spring training.”
Although he didn’t specifically say that this is what happened to Hayes, Tomczyk explained that within the wrist are a lot of ligaments, soft tissue and interosseous muscles with tiny, intricate gaps called web spaces. There was some swelling and inflammation in a web space and it takes a little longer to go down because of the tight, compact space in which they exist.
“What it does to the body, when that inflammation is there, it signals to the brain that it doesn’t like to function the way it is,” Tomczyk said. “Every individual is different with how they respond to injuries and how they make their way back.”
Within all that medical jargon is an encouraging sign for the Pirates to get their best hitter back. It’ll be a well-needed return for a club that’s dead last MLB-wide in total homers (26), fourth-worst in the National League in team batting (.227) and second-worst in total runs scored (140).
Hayes has not been available to media since homering on opening day.
MORE INJURY UPDATES
• It seems the final hurdle for Colin Moran in his return from a left groin strain is just days away. Moran is swinging in the cage and fielding grounders at full strength, but will need to test out the injury by running at full speed sometime in the next few days.
Tomczyk also said they will test how Moran feels while fielding his position at different angles and some additional agility movements in the field and with his swing.
Although he’s been out for 11 days, Moran is still the Pirates’ leader in homers (four), RBIs (19) and slugging percentage (.468).
Phillip Evans is a step ahead of Moran in his rehab from a left hamstring strain by participating in some full-speed running drills. Evans is not eligible to return from the injured list until May 23.
• Opening day starter Chad Kuhl makes his first rehab start for Indianapolis on Wednesday night. Shelton said Tuesday that the goal for Kuhl would be 45 pitches in the minor-league tune up.
“We're gonna see how he responds. This is definitely a collaborative discussion, not all things medical,” Tomczyk said. “In how he feels, not only from a physical standpoint, but how his stuff is playing. And then the manager, front office and our pitching development team, led by Oscar Marin, will have a lot of input as well. That's a start by start type of scenario, and really, our long, main focus is the overall health, long-term of Chad Kuhl.”
• There was more encouraging news regarding some of the rehabbing pitchers in Florida. Steven Brault (lat strain) is finally throwing a baseball, extending to about 60-70 feet on flat ground, and Jose Soriano (elbow) should be ready for a rehab assignment with Indianapolis within the next week, according to Tomcyzk.
• Travis Swaggerty sustained an still-to-be-diagnosed right shoulder injury and was lifted from Tuesday night’s game in St. Paul. The outfield prospect is headed to Pittsburgh for further evaluation from team physicians. Tomczyk said that it will likely be more serious than a seven-day stint on the injured list for Swaggerty.
• A right knee injury has kept Liover Peguero out of action for low Class A Greensboro since May 13. He first tried to push it, but ran with a noticeable limp and was shut down right away.
“We’re taking a different approach and making sure the injury, the contusion from the knee doesn’t turn into other soft-tissue injuries because of the altered running mechanics,” Tomczyk said. “We’re taking it a little bit slower, but that doesn’t suggest anything that’s long-term.”
• Finally, Jared Oliva (oblique) has resumed hitting and throwing while continuing his rehab in Bradenton. He should also be ready to start playing games again within the next week.
