PHOENIX -- It has been a tough year for the usually durable Colin Moran, who is currently amid his second lengthy injured list stint this season. This most recent trip is for a pisiform bone fracture in left wrist, which happened when he was hit in the hand with a pitch on June 28.
The good news is he appears to be nearing a return. Moran traveled with the team for their week-long west coast road trip and had been taking fielding drills. On Tuesday, he also resumed swinging, taking batting practice in the cage.
"He’s about three weeks post-that avulsion fracture," director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said. "That is about the time we begin to see progress in athletes resuming these sorts or gripping and swinging activities, so that is encouraging news for Colin and the team."
Getting Moran back would be a nice boost for the Pirates' offense who have missed his .280 batting average and .759 OPS. He was originally slotted as the Pirates' cleanup hitter, but due to injuries to him and Ke'Bryan Hayes, the club has had very few opportunities with the top four of their lineup all healthy.
MORE INJURY NEWS
• Steven Brault (left lat) will continue his rehab assignment with Class AAA Indianapolis, and will make another start with the Indians.
• Sam Howard (oblique) should play catch during the Pirates' next road series in San Francisco this weekend.
• Trevor Cahill (left calf) is asymptomatic and is throwing from flatground and doing side sessions. The club is still learning about the severity of Chase De Jong's left knee inflammation after being hit by a line drive Monday.
• Erik González (right oblique strain) is "exceeding expectations right now" and ahead of schedule in his rehab. He could resuming hitting this weekend.
He was seen taking fielding drills at third base before Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks.
Ka'ai Tom, meanwhile, is experiencing a reaggravation of his lower back symptoms. He will not partake in any baseball activities until at least early next week.
• Transitioning to the minors, Oneil Cruz and Roansy Contreras both experienced forearm strains in early July, but Contreras is progressing back quicker. Contreras' right forearm was more inflamed originally, but he should start playing catch in the coming days.
Cruz is still working on his range of motion and strength, but hasn't resumed throwing yet. He is still progressing and surgery isn't being considered, but it will take time for him to return. Which, at this point of the season, there isn't a lot left.
Cruz's forearm injury did come at the same time as he was being reintroduced to the outfield, but the two are not related. Cruz had yet to make an throw from the outfield, even in a drill, before the injury happened. The had focused on reads and positioning up to that point.
• Cole Tucker injured his right thumb diving for a ball in the outfield Wednesday.
• Some rapid-fire injury notes on pitching prospects to close: Carmen Mlodzinski has resumed throwing since his right shoulder stiffness last week. Michael Burrows was placed on Greensboro's injured list with an oblique injury and will be out "a short period of time." Miguel Yajure and Brennan Malone have resumed throwing side sessions at the Pirates' Florida Complex.