It was a game that the Pittsburgh Pirates appeared to be on the losing end of for almost the entire game. When the game was over, though, it was not the 9-3 12 inning loss that mattered.
As the Pirates prepare to face the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, they do so with the worry about both Gerrit Cole and Francisco Cervelli’s health.
Cole left in the third inning of Friday night’s loss with right tricep tightness and Cervelli left with left hand pain.
MLB on FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported on Twitter Saturday morning that Cole is undergoing an MRI and that both are likely to miss time though neither injury is season-ending.
The Pirates announced Saturday afternoon that Cervelli was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a broken hamate bone. He is expected to return to full baseball activities in four to six weeks.
In a corresponding move, the Pirates acquired catcher Erik Kratz from the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations.
This is Cole’s second injury of the year as his Spring Training program started late due to rib cage discomfort.
Though Cole was not able to start on Opening Day, he has made every start up to and including Friday night.
“I went out there for the third and it just didn’t respond,” Cole said to reporters following the game. “It wasn’t where it needed to be.”
Cole expressed he was feeling good and did have a 1-0 lead at the time of the injury.
He described this injury having a not so familiar feeling and in this the Pirates went for the quick hook playing it safe.
The quick hook activated an already taxed Pirates bullpen with A.J. Schugel pitching four hitless innings.
Cervelli had recently come back from a discomfort injury and his stay in the game was slightly longer than Cole’s.
According to Pirates Prospects and Associated Press reporter Alan Saunders, Cervelli was not in the clubhouse after the game.
Cervelli had an extensive injury history while with the New York Yankees, which includes a fractured right hand, a hamstring injury and cluster migraines.
Though Cervelli was frequently hit with foul tips, last season proved a injury free one.
His leadership, career-high in starts, work with pitchers and timely hitting in addition to his defense led to a contract extension in May. He was too valuable for the Pirates to lose.
So while the Pirates lost in a big way in extra innings to a division rival who has been a nemesis for years, the bigger losses were to the ace of staff and current franchise catcher.
Any significant length of time either or both are lost would be a large blow to the team’s playoff chances. Currently the Pirates sit in third place in the National League Central Division, a full 10 games behind the Chicago Cubs.
