Pirates Injured Duo Getting Closer to Return
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have missed the services of two older players, but should get them back in the near future.
Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that both outfielder Jake Mangum and right-handed relief pitcher Chris Devenski resumed baseball activities following their recent injuries.
Mangum went on the 10-day injured list retroactively on May 6 with a left hamstring strain, while Devenski landed on the 15-day injured list with an undisclosed illness on May 7, with both players missing the past week of games for the Pirates
It's a good sign for both players, as the Pirates will need their talents when they come back healthy.
How Pirates Have Adjusted Without Jake Mangum
Mangum was set for a start in center field in the series finale vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 7, but his hamstring injury saw the Pirates scratch him from the lineup right before first pitch.
The Pirates brought up utility man Nick Yorke in his spot and he started in left field against the San Francisco Giants in the series finale at Oracle Park on May 10. Billy Cook also started in right field vs. the Giants in the series opener on May 8.
Mangum started 10 games and playing in 22 contests in left field, two starts in center field and four starts in right field, appearing in 28 of the Pirates 34 games prior to his injury.
The Pirates will love to have Mangum back as a versatile option in the outfield and also someone that can find any way to get on base and then cause havoc on the base paths.
"He has resumed all baseball activities, responded well to the initial stress from the performance team — we anticipate him ramping up the intensity and volume of his running activities in the coming days so they can have a conversation with Donnie and Ben and team about what the next steps are," Tomczyk said. "But all in all, Jake is headed in the right direction."
Devenski Not As Close to Returning
The Pirates signed Devenski this offseason on a minor league contract and made him a non-roster invitee to Spring Training.
Devenski started out his season with Triple-A Indianapolis and the Pirates eventually added him to the 40-man roster and then 26-man roster on April 29, as they needed a bullpen arm.
It wasn't a great stint for Devenski, with two earned runs allowed over 2.1 innings pitched over three outings.
Devenski also got ejected for throwing at Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart and then MLB suspended him for two games, which he served and then went on the injured list.
Tomczyk didn't specify what illness Devenski was dealing with, but that he's getting closer to full health again.
“He’s resumed all baseball activities," Tomcyzk said. "He’s playing catch. He threw a bullpen yesterday. We’re monitoring how he’s recovering out of that. He is still under the care of our local physicians here in Pittsburgh. He has some upcoming appointments in the coming days and into early next week, but he is trending in a rather positive way to return.”
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.