Pirates: Cervelli out 4-6 weeks, Add Erik Kratz
By Rich Donahue
The Pittsburgh Pirates face the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday night at PNC Pank.
Bad news for the love doctor. The Pirates announced catcher Francisco Cervelli will be out 4-6 with a broken hand. Saturday morning he underwent successful surgery to repair broken hamate bone in left hand. Cervelli, who has a long injury history, was injured on a swing and miss in fourth inning of last night’s loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The injury is a huge blow to the now mangled Pirates. Gerrit Cole also left last night’s game in the two inning with right triceps tightness. He had a MRI Saturday morning on his triceps. The results from the MRI are still pending.
With Cervelli out, the team acquired catcher Erik Kratz for cash considerations from the Los Angeles Angels. Kratz made his major league debut with the Pirates back in 2010, playing in nine games after getting the call up from AAA Indianapolis Indians. The journeyman catcher is a career .210 hitter.
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For the last eight months Kratz has been bouncing around baseball. He was signed by the San Diego Padres in November and then traded at the end of Spring Training to the Houston Astros. After batting a lackluster .069 in 15 games, he was released on May 22. Kratz was then picked up five days later by the Angels and sent down to AAA Salt Lake Bees.
This is not the first time the catcher has played for a team multiple times. Kratz played with the Phillies from 2011-2013 and appeared in another 12 games for them in 2015, making stops in between with the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.
Chris Stewart will serve as the starter with Cervelli out of the lineup. Stewart is batting .210 with a .325 on-base percentage in 66 at bats this year. His production is hit or miss; it will have to do for now.
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Cervelli should be back after the All-Star. Hopefully the Pirates can ride the ship as the dog days of summer begin.