Pirates Give Bad Injury Update on Esmerlyn Valdez
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CHICAGO — The Pittsburgh Pirates can't seem to keep a healthy lineup, as another key player is injured.
The Pirates placed right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring injury on Sept. 12.
Pittsburgh recalled outfielder Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis, as the corresponding move.
It's a tough blow for the Pirates, who are making a late run at the postseason and won't have their top rookie.
What Valdez Means to the Pirates
Valdez suffered the injury in the top of the sixth inning of the 12-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs in the series opener at Wrigley Field on Sept. 12.
He hit a groundball, and then soon after he started running to first base, he pulled up and couldn't put any weight on his left leg, needing help from the Pirates' medical staff and manager Don Kelly.
Valdez had incredible power potential when the Pirates first called him up in May, and he hit two home runs in his first stint before they sent him back down to Triple-A.
He returned to the Pirates in June and made his mark, hitting four home runs in four games to end the month, and then continued his power display through July, with 14 home runs in 37 games.
Valdez became the first Pirates player to hit a home run in four consecutive games since Corey Dickerson in 2018 and was one of just four players to hit that many home runs to start his career.
His home runs led the Pirates to important wins, including his three home runs in the doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on July 11, right before the All-Star break.
It also gave him the starting right field spot in early July, moving Ryan O'Hearn to first base full-time, especially once Spencer Horwitz got injured.
Valdez did enter a slump in late July, but still practiced good plate discipline and found ways to get on base, even when he couldn't get a hit.
The Pirates searched for a right-handed power bat this offseason, and Valdez was their best one this season, making great strides and showing he has what it takes to produce in the major leagues.
How the Pirates Replace Valdez
The Pirates don't have another player like Valdez on the roster, but they can find replacements for him in right field.
Jake Mangum will play most games there going forward, as he can play all three outfield spots and was the starting center fielder when Oneil Cruz spent two months out injured with a left hand fracture from June to August.
O'Hearn just returned from a right quad injury, so although he has played in right field this season, the Pirates will keep him at first base or as the designated hitter for the final two weeks.
Simon can also play right field, so he should get some chances over there as well.
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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.