It was a busy Saturday before the Pittsburgh Pirates afternoon contest against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The short version is that Tyler Glasnow (0-1, 6.75 ERA) will face Aaron Nola (5-8, 4.41 ERA), but how did we get here?
Pirates option Schugel
There had to be a player who would lose his spot with the team so that Glasnow got called up. That person ended up being A.J. Schugel.
Schugel was a reliever the Pirates depended on to provide different lengths of appearances. He is 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA this season.
Ultimately the decision came down to Schugel having an option whereas other in consideration did not.
“It’s not about the performance at all, it’s having the option,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “Three men are in the bullpen with length possibilities, and we’re still trying to find ways to get Hughes involved in those inherited-run situations. He’s been a valuable guy for us and a valuable guy of length.”
As for Glasnow, the rotation spot opened up and it was his day to throw. Chad Kuhl was sent down earlier in the week and with no injury was not available to be called up.
Glasnow took the loss in his lone major league start.
“It’s a second opportunity,” said Hurdle. “I think there were a couple lessons learned walking away
Schugel remained upbeat despite the demotion, and various Pirates conversed with him before departing the field for pregame batting practice.
“I’d love to stay but it’s just baseball,” he said. “Hopefully it’s short lived, and I’ll be back. I’ve been a lot more comfortable this year, that’s for sure. Debuting last year, I feel like I was almost trying to impress too much. I’m more settled in now.”
Diaz speaks on call-up
What was not expected Saturday morning was to see a picture of Elias Diaz holding a plane ticket to Pittsburgh.
This ended up being the case though, as Diaz will return to the Pirates after missing 93 games with right elbow surgery.
“The first time I got called up it was a joyful moment. This time it was special,” Diaz said. “It was special because I overcame some tough challenges. Recovering 100% percentand going through the injury I went through both mentally and physically … it’s hard. It’s not easy to do. For me to say I made it up here but I had to fight through some challenges and I didn’t give up, that makes this opportunity so special for me.”
Diaz was first placed on the disabled list April 3, retroactive to March 25 and had only been activated from his rehab assignment a few days ago.
The Pirates have been high on Diaz since Spring Training last year, and Hurdle went as far as saying the team looked forward to seeing him all year.
Diaz got his first taste of being in the major leagues as a September call-up last season.
Diaz came back to Pittsburgh because Eric Fryer’s wife Allison gave birth to twins Abigail and Hayden late Saturday morning in Ohio. It is the fifth Pirates birth this season alone and Fryer was placed on the bereavement list.
“We knew Fryer’s wife was pregnant, and this is why Diaz is here,” said Hurdle. “We knew this was coming, just a little anticipatory of when it was coming. It turned out to be fortuitous timing because Diaz has been back in play and done a nice job.”
Today’s lineups
Pirates (49-47)
- John Jaso 1B
- Gregory Polanco RF
- Andrew McCutchen CF
- Starling Marte LF
- David Freese 3B
- Francisco Cervelli C
- Josh Harrison 2B
- Jordy Mercer SS
- Tyler Glasnow P
Phillies (45-53)
- Peter Bourjos RF
- Odubel Herrera CF
- Andres Blanco 3B
- Tommy Joseph 1B
- Cameron Rupp C
- Cody Asche LF
- Freddy Galvis SS
- Cesar Hernandez 2B
- Aaron Nola P
Bottom of the ninth
Ryan Vogelsong was eligible to come off the DL today from his facial fractures injury but a neck injury provided a small setback.
“Everything was going tremendously well until I tweaked my neck a little bit in my last rehab start,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my neck, I would be 100 percent be ready to be activated today. It’s just crazy how I’ve been through this, waited and I tweak my neck a little bit.”
Vogelsong is back with the team in Pittsburgh and caught and threw a bullpen session before the game.
“It’s a relief that it wasn’t something else,” said Vogelsong. “I didn’t want to come out of the game but it got to the point where I felt like I was getting close to hurting something else and didn’t want to go down that road. It’s the first time I’ve ever taken myself out of a game in 19 years so that’ll tell you how bad it was bothering me. It’s just a little delay.”
Photo credit: CBSSports.com
