Pittsburgh Pirates Reaction: Bucs lose veteran outfielder for 10-12 weeks
By Derek Snyder
The Pittsburgh Pirates will be without one of their top switch-hitting options for the next 10-12 weeks. See how this news will affect the Bucs below.
No matter what happens in Spring Training, the number one goal is to make it to the end of March with a healthy roster. We can take the Pittsburgh Pirates losing some games throughout February and March, but sending players to the DL isn’t something we like to see. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what the Bucs are dealing with after finishing only their fifth preseason game on Tuesday.
Veteran outfielder, Daniel Nava, was brought into Pittsburgh with hopes of him providing a solid switch-hitting option off the bench. Needless to say, in late-game scenarios, Nava is a player who’s extremely valuable.
However, thanks to some “lower back discomfort”, Nava has decided to undergo surgery.
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Take a look at this report from Adam Berry from the team’s official website:
"Pirates outfielder Daniel Nava will be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks after undergoing back surgery on Tuesday, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said.The procedure was a microdiscectomy performed by Dr. Christopher Yeung. Nava saw the Pirates’ team doctors, including medical director Dr. Patrick DeMeo, before receiving a second opinion from Dr. Yeung in Arizona and deciding to have surgery.Nava, 35, was held out of the Pirates’ workout on Feb. 22 due to what the team described as “low back discomfort.” The veteran switch-hitter was hoping to secure a spot on the Bucs’ Opening Day bench after signing a Minor League contract on Feb. 9."
In terms of this this affects the Pirates, I don’t foresee it being a major issue. The team already has a plethora of talented outfielders with an added mix of younger prospects. While this injury doesn’t impact the Bucs in a huge way, it does have some tough consequences for Nava.
As Berry mentioned in his article, he was signed to a minor league contract in early-February, “with hopes of securing a spot on the Bucs’ Opening Day bench”. Making the regular season roster is never a guarantee, which is what makes this surgery even more consequential for the veteran outfielder.
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Here’s to hoping Nava’s surgery goes well and finds himself on the Pirates roster before the 2018 MLB All-Star break.