Pirates' Konnor Griffin Takes Major Step in Injury Recovery
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates want shortstop Konnor Griffin back as soon as possible and he's on his way back from his first MLB injury.
Griffin began his throwing program at PNC Park on June 10, throwing up to 90 feet and also engaging in other fielding drills, which he has done since he learned of his injury.
Early throwing for #Pirates Konnor Griffin. Looks good. pic.twitter.com/ltDOb0xhqu
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) June 10, 2026
The 20-year old has a forearm muscle strain, which has prevented him from throwing, but allowed to do all other baseball activities.
Griffin throwing again is a big milestone in his injury recovery, one that the player nor the team want to mess up in any way.
What Griffin's Injury Recovery Looks Like
Griffin starting this throwing program means that he is asymptomatic, which means he still has the forearm muscle strain, but isn't feeling the pain that he previously was.
He also received full clearance from the team physicians, which Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk announced back on June 9.
The start will have Griffin throw up to 90 feet, but he'll continue progression to throwing harder and then doing more shortstop drills, getting his full strength back in his arm and being fully healthy again.
Some of this progression will see him work in plyometrics and with the weighted ball, which will improve Griffin's strength.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said back on June 7 that the build up for Griffin is similar to a pitcher, who is most likely to have an injury like this, and they'll be careful with his rehab going forward.
The important thing that Tomcyzk noted is that Griffin won't need surgery and that his ligament is stable, which prevents him from missing a great deal of time.
Pirates Could Use Griffin's Talents Back Sooner Rather Than Later
It's no doubt the Pirates highly value Griffin, who they signed to a nine-year, $140 million contract back on April 8, the largest contract in franchise history.
Griffin is the Pirates shortstop of the present and the future, with this contract keeping him with the team until he is almost 30 years old.
That puts pressure on Griffin to succeed early on, but the rookie has been ready for the challenge and excelled in 2026.
Griffin slashed .270/.327/.402 for an OPS of .729 in 51 games and hit even better in May, .306/.361/.459 for an OPS of .820, before going on the injured list at the end of the month.
He has shown his speed, with 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts and his play at shortstop has been strong for the most part, showing off his glove and athleticism at times with some mistakes as well.
The Pirates are 35-33 and competing for a spot in the postseason, which means Griffin's return means a big deal to them.
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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.