The Pirates placed Gregory Polanco on the injured list before their game with the Padres Tuesday for an unspecified injury.
"He's on the IL... That's all we got," manager Derek Shelton said Tuesday when asked about Polanco's status.
There is no timetable for Polanco's return.
In his place, the Pirates have selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Hunter Owen. There is no corresponding move to add him to the roster.
Polanco is slashing .200/.289/.350 with three home runs, five RBIs and four stolen bases this season. He went 0-for-3 with a stolen base and a strikeout in Monday's 2-0 loss to the Padres.
Owen was one of two position players on the Pirates' taxi squad for this six-game road trip, the other being catcher Jason Delay.
A 25th-round pick in the 2016 amateur draft, Owen was the best hitter for the Curve in 2019, earning a midseason promotion after slashing .295/.369/.565 with 15 home runs over 268 plate appearances. He was hit by a pitch and slumped in his promotion to Class AAA Indianapolis.
He did not get invited to the alternate training site last year, but was added to the spring training roster shortly before games began. He went 3-for-17 in major-league spring training.
A third baseman by trade, he can also play first and corner outfield.
"We like versatility. It’s one of the reasons he was with us, because he can provide us with versatility," Shelton said.
Owen will be available for Tuesday's game.
With Polanco gone, the only true outfielders on the Pirates roster are Bryan Reynolds and Ta'ai Tom. Owen, Phillip Evans, Wilmer Difo and Adam Frazier can also play outfield. Evans will make the start in right field Tuesday.
Delay and right-handers Kyle Keller, Shea Spitzbarth and James Marvel are the four remaining players on the taxi squad.
