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Elbow surgery scheduled for Diaz

By John Mehno

For the Mirror

PITTSBURGH – Pirates catching prospect Elias Diaz will have surgery on his right elbow this week.

The team made the announcement on Monday without offering any details or prognosis other than to say the procedure was not the Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

Diaz, 25, was expected to the be the regular catcher at Class AAA Indianapolis this season. He has been bothered by pain in his elbow since spring training.

The Pirates are expected to provide more information about Diaz on Wednesday during the weekly injury update conducted by head trainer Todd Tomczyk.

“I think we’ll know more after the surgery,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Obviously his career is on pause right now, but I think they’re very optimistic about the surgery. Outside of that, I don’t have a lot of information.

“I’m going to wait to get all the information I can before have a whole lot to say. We wish him well. He’s a well thought of young man. We like the player, we like the guy. We’ll trust the doctors.”

It was presumed that Diaz would spend this season at Class AAA, then move up to the major leagues to share catching duties with Chris Stewart next season.

Francisco Cervelli is eligible for free agency after this season, and his age (30), injury history and presence of young catching talent in the organization make a contract extension unlikely.

If Diaz is out for an extended time, it could change the Pirates’ plans and lead them to seek an experienced catcher at least for next season.

Big series?

The Pirates are playing the Chicago Cubs for the first time this season in a stretch against divisional opponents.

After wrapping this three-game series, the Pirates will travel to St. Louis, Chicago and Cincinnati.

This is the first game against the Cubs since the wild card game last Oct. 7. It is the first of 19 Cubs-Pirates games.

“It’s the next team we’re playing,” Hurdle said. “We’re in the division for a while. The Cubs have a good team, a very good team. So we look forward to playing them.”

Eight is enough

The Pirates continue to carry eight relief pitchers, which limits them to four extra position players.

General manager Neal Huntington indicated on Sunday that the Pirates will soon scale back to seven relievers.

“This is the longest I’ve ever gone with eight,” Hurdle said. “It’s been creative.”

Hurdle said that he felt secure he had enough pitching available when Sunday’s game against the Reds went into extra innings.

However, he’s had to be careful in his use of pinch hitters. For example, he said it’s not an option to send up one pinch hitter, then switch to another if the other team changes pitchers.

“It’s been interesting,” Hurdle said. “It’s been a new experience for me. I’m embracing it. You have to look at the other side a little differently as far as your position players and the moves you make.”

The Pirates used pitcher Jon Niese as a pinch hitter during extra innings in Colorado. Niese delivered an RBI hit.

Glasnow honored

Pitching prospect Tyler Glasnow was named International League pitcher of the week.

In two starts for Indianapolis, Glasnow did not allow a run and struck out 18 in his 11 innings.

Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com

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