Pirates place LHP Ryan Borucki on 15-day IL, recall lefty reliever Jose Hernandez to bullpen
Ryan Borucki has become a dependable left-handed reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates but his left triceps was bothering him to the point that he addressed it with manager Derek Shelton and the team’s trainers.
“I wasn’t bouncing back the way I wanted to since the first series in Miami,” Borucki said. “We decided it was best to nip it in the bud now, rather than let a small problem turn into a big problem.”
The Pirates placed Borucki on the 15-day injured list Sunday, retroactive to April 6, with left triceps inflammation. He’s hoping that some rest and recovery will allow him to return later this month.
After going 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 0.74 WHIP in 40 1/3 innings last season, Borucki posted a 5.40 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with six strikeouts without a walk in 3 1/3 innings over four appearances this season. He allowed two runs on three hits in one-third of an inning in the 5-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in Friday’s home opener at PNC Park.
The Pirates replaced Borucki in the bullpen by recalling lefty Jose Hernandez from Triple-A Indianapolis and activated him for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. Hernandez earned the victory in the 3-2 walk-off win after recording two strikeouts in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Hernandez started the season with the Pirates as a replacement for Roansy Contreras, who was on paternity leave for the birth of his daughter, and earned his first career save on Opening Day at Miami. Hernandez pitched two scoreless innings in two appearances with the Pirates before being optioned April 1.
Infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae, who has been on the 10-day injured list since March 28 (retroactive to March 25) with a left hip muscle strain, began a rehabilitation assignment Sunday with Low-A Bradenton.
Also on Sunday, the Pirates dealt right-handed pitcher Colin Selby, who was designated for assignment April 2, to the Kansas City Royals for minor-league left-hander Connor Oliver. Oliver was a 17th-round pick out of Miami (Ohio) last summer.
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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