CINCINNATI -- The Pirates have been devastated by injuries in 2019, sending 22 players to the injured list, including key contributors such as Trevor Williams, Jameson Taillon, Corey Dickerson and plenty others.
That number — 22 — marks the most by any team in at least 20 years, per the Elias Sports Bureau. Just 53 games into the season, this has caused the Pirates to use 43 different players. For perspective, they used 48 for the entire season last year.
That's made Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk a busy, busy man, and I asked him Wednesday before the Pirates' Game 4 tilt vs. the Reds about the sheer volume of work he and his staff have endured:
In addition, Tomczyk provided a full rundown on all the injured Pirates' progress. Here's what he had for us:
• Williams has resumed throwing and is throwing out to 105 feet and off the slope.
"Very encouraged that, what, 13 days post-injury he's throwing off the slope." Tomczyk said. "The staff's trying to be creative in ways to get him reps, what he's going to be used to doing in the game. He's making nice progress."
• Jordan Lyles, who was removed after four innings in the Pirates' 11-6 loss Tuesday, is playing catch Wednesday with the team and will be reassessed. "He's playing catch to see what he is feeling. [We're] encouraged by the exam postgame and we're encouraged by his progress and what I reported this morning."
• Taillon is still in no-throw status. He's continuing his conditioning.
• Keone Kela pitched a rehab game in Indianapolis, allowing three runs on three hits, and has been with the team in Cincinnati. "We're still working through what's next for him. He's playing catch on flat ground. He will be throwing a side when we get back to Pittsburgh. He's making good progress," Tomczyk said.
• Edgar Santana and Chad Kuhl continue to work their way back from Tommy John surgery. They will be in Pittsburgh for the upcoming homestand to stay involved with the Major League club.
• Corey Dickerson will play his third game with the Indianapolis Indians on Wednesday. He went 1 for 5 Monday with three strikeouts. "Early responses have been very positive. He's throwing the ball without reservations, without restrictions, both physically and in his mind. He has no tightness, no pain. He's just working his way back into game shape."
• Jung Ho Kang will play his second game in Indianapolis on Wednesday. He went 2 for 3 with a home run Monday. Tomczyk said there are no reservations with his swing, and he will be bounced around to DH, third base and shortstop.
• Francisco Cervelli did not travel with the team to Cincinnati and will be reassessed when they return to Pittsburgh.
"Francisco's history with concussions is pretty well-documented," Tomczyk said. "I think the staff, with Tom Prince and [Clint Hurdle] being a catcher, [Heberto Andrade] being [a catching coach], everybody has worked endlessly to figure out if he's in a good position as far as positioning and framing.
"From a medical perspective, we treat every injury very, very importantly. Very seriously. Each one is its own unique entity. Twenty years in baseball, that was a very, very scary thing to watch — not to the point he got hit, but how that bat shattered and then ricocheted right back to his mask. Thank goodness he was wearing a mask and thank goodness there was no splintering of the bat into his eye. All things considered, if we're just dealing with a concussion, I think this was a very optimistic outcome of that injury."
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