The Pittsburgh Pirates have placed pitcher Martín Pérez and catcher Joey Bart on the injured list. In their place, the Pirates have reinstated third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the IL and activated catcher Grant Koch from the taxi squad.
Pirates Place Two on Injured List, Add Two to Active Roster
We have activated INF Ke’Bryan Hayes from the 10-day injured list and selected the contract of C Grant Koch to the Major League roster.
We have also placed LHP Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list (retro to May 27) and C Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list (retro to May 27).
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 28, 2024
Pérez was placed on the 15-day IL with a left groin injury. For Bart, a thumb injury has landed him on the 10-day IL. Both left Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at PNC Park. It was the same game where the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. suffered a torn ACL.
Pérez injured the groin while covering first base in the third inning. He returned to the mound with a slight limp. Although he finished the inning, his velocity dropped, and he didn’t return for the fourth. Pérez, 33, signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Pirates in December. In 11 starts for the Pirates, he’s 1-3 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.552 WHIP. He pitched well in April but became a victim of the home run ball in May. He surrendered eight homers in May, including five in one ugly outing in Milwaukee against the Brewers on the 15th.
It’s a tough break for Bart, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in an out-of-left-field trade on April 3. The 27-year-old former No. 1 draft choice has turned his career around with the Pirates. In 22 games with Pittsburgh, he’s hitting .267/.362/.517, 4 HR, and 12 RBI. This includes a grand slam against his former team on the 23rd.
Both IL placements are retroactive to Sunday. There should be another set of moves by the end of the week. It might involve Quinn Priester returning to the active roster.
Pirates Reinstate Hayes from Injured List, Add Koch
It will boost the Pirates’ offense to get Hayes back in the lineup. Not that Hayes was exactly tearing the cover off the ball at .240/.322/.318, 1 HR, 11 RBI, and 87 OPS+. But his replacement, Jared Triolo, while fielding at Hayes’ Gold Glove level, has slumped to .203/.289/.273. With Nick Gonzales hitting well, Triolo won’t reclaim his spot as the starting second baseman. It could be Triolo heading to the minors when a starting pitcher is added.
Koch, 27, had been on the taxi squad since May 21. He was the Pirates’ No. 5 draft choice in the 2018 June Amateur Draft from the University of Arkansas. There were 11 Southeast Conference catchers drafted that year. It was Koch who was the catcher on the SEC’s All-Defensive Team. If he appears in a game for the Pirates, it will be his major league debut. That’s a big “if.” After 17 games in triple-A, Koch is hitting just .167/.211/.259, 1 HR, and 5 RBI. With Jason Delay beginning a rehab assignment, Koch’s time with the Pirates could be short.
Then again, one of the reasons for Koch’s choice, while Henry Davis lurks in triple-A, is that he’s caught Paul Skenes. With the Pirates having a day game after a night game tomorrow in Detroit and Skenes scheduled to take the mound, who knows, we might see Koch make his debut behind the dish.
Main Photo Credits: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
