CINCINNATI -- The Pirates will emerge from their unexpected three-day layoff with their closer, with Derek Shelton announcing Wednesday that Keone Kela will be activated from the injured list for their four-game series with the Reds here this weekend.
Kela missed all of summer camp after testing positive for COVID-19, but had begun throwing live bullpens last week. His most recent session was Tuesday.
"I’m really excited," Kela said Wednesday from PNC Park. "It’s been a long time waiting, going through that quarantine process. It feels good to be back in the clubhouse, ready to rock and roll with the guys."
The Pirates will have to make a corresponding move on the 40-man roster in order to add Kela, as his spot was cleared because of the virus.
Kela was not allowed to enter team facilities during the shutdown, so he was given a net and a bucket of balls to throw and scouted out parks throughout Pittsburgh.
"I was low-key, man," Kela said. "I was trying to snoop around to find different parks. If I saw that there was anybody around, running or anything, I just tried to stay away."
His journeys took him to the parking lot at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, South Side, Turtle Creek, McKeesport and ...
"I've seen Pittsburgh now during this quarantine," he joked.
Kela's return comes at a time where the bullpen could use another arm, especially a late-inning one. Injuries have sidelined Kyle Crick, Nick Burdi, Michael Feliz and Clay Holmes, and Crick is the only one who could potentially return this season.
However, like he did during spring training, Kela has said he is willing to pitch in other leverage innings rather than just the ninth.
"One of the reasons I really appreciate the guy," Shelton said of Kela, "is that he said, ‘Pitch me when you want to pitch me. If you need to get outs, get outs.’ And I think that speaks to the testament of everything he’s done, in my conversations with him from the first time I talked to him this winter, to now. So, he’s like, ‘Pitch me when you feel you need to pitch me.’ So I really appreciate that."
After being forced to watch the beginning of the Pirates' season where they have fallen short in almost every close game that they have played, Kela is focused on proving that the team is better than their 3-13 record would indicate.
"I know the effort that's put in," Kela said. "I know the hard work that goes into every single day. So watching these guys go out and perform and me not being able to be a part of that, to assist the team in any way, it definitely hurt. Because I know that coming in this year, I was going to be a big piece to the puzzle. Some things got sidelined and some things happened off the field. We're ready to move forward. We can't move back. We're here now. This is the year that we were given. I just think it's time to capitalize on it as best that we can as an organization and as individuals, as well."
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