The left leg injury Chris Archer suffered during his start Monday at PNC Park will not prevent him from throwing a scheduled bullpen Thursday, and the Pirates are optimistic he'll make his scheduled start Sunday in Milwaukee, Todd Tomczyk, the team's director of sports medicine, said.
Meanwhile, Josh Harrison, who is out of the lineup again Wednesday, is having his workload managed because he's dealing with a left hamstring injury the Pirates expect to linger for the remainder of the season.
Archer left after four innings of a 1-0 loss to the Braves after injuring himself while striking out in the third inning, though he reported to the Pirates' medical staff the following day that he could pitch if needed. The right-hander played catch on the field prior to first pitch Wednesday, and the team will evaluate him after his bullpen session to determine his availability against the Brewers.
"We’ll probably have a report in the coming days as to what the next steps are with him," Tomczyk said. "He reported the next day if he had to pitch, he could pitch that next day. This was purely removed as a precaution, as we reported. We are optimistic at this point he’ll be able to take the ball in the coming days, so that's all good news there."
Also mentioned in the weekly update from Tomczyk on Wednesday at PNC Park:
• Harrison initially injured his left hamstring during the final game before the All-Star break; however, he was not placed on the 10-day disabled list and only missed four games following the break. He told reporters last Tuesday in Minneapolis he was back to "100 percent" before feeling his hamstring grab in the Pirates' extra-inning victory Sunday against the Cubs.
"Josh is a veteran player," Tomczyk said. "He knows his body. He knows what he can and can’t push through. He’s going to pick and choose his spots when he can run hard, when he needs to run hard and what that looks like. At the end of the day, he wants to be out there helping this team win. He wants to give Clint his maximum effort, whether that’s 80, 75. We can’t even put a percentage on it, but Josh wants to be out there and this is something the performance team, Josh and Clint are willing to manage through."
• Jung Ho Kang will attempt to pick up a bat this week for the first time since undergoing surgery on his left wrist. Kang was examined by Dr. Edward Birdsong of Allegheny Health Network last week, and Tomczyk said the Pirates are "optimistic" Kang will be able to play either in Triple-A or the majors before the end of the season. Kang hasn't played in a game since June 24 and appeared in only nine games for Indianapolis.
• Starting pitcher Chad Kuhl, on the 60-day disabled list with a right forearm strain, has resumed playing catch on flat ground from 90 feet, and that distance will increase in the coming days, Tomczyk said. Kuhl, 26, had a 4.55 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 16 starts before suffering the injury June 26 in New York. It's unclear what his role would be if he does return next month.
"I am optimistic and encouraged about him pitching some meaningful innings for us the rest of the season," Tomczyk said.
• Jordy Mercer, placed on the 10-day disabled list last Thursday with a left calf strain, is swinging a bat and taking ground balls at shortstop, but he hasn't been able to sprint yet. Mercer suffered the injury while running the bases last Tuesday in Minneapolis and is eligible to come off the DL on Saturday.
• Tomczyk told reporters Starling Marte's doctor's visit Tuesday morning was a follow-up appointment stemming from an illness that prevented him from playing last Wednesday in Minneapolis. Marte is back in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Braves after pinch-hitting the night before.
• Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, the Pirates' No. 3 prospect according to Baseball America, was diagnosed with a "contusion" after he tripped over his own bat and landed on his shoulder when running out of the batter's box Sunday. Hayes is batting .281 with 30 doubles, seven home runs and 38 RBIs in 107 games for Double-A Altoona.
"Taking it day-to-day," Tomczyk said of Hayes. "He has not resumed any game activities yet, but they feel like they are dealing with a contusion at this point of the left shoulder. They’re still early in that process of gauging what his status is going to be short-term."