Triolo homers in 1-game rehab assignment, reinstated from IL

PITTSBURGH -- It’s customary that whenever a Major League player goes on a rehab assignment, he treats the Minor League players to a meal.

Jared Triolo committed a slight faux pas when he didn’t buy dinner for his Triple-A Indianapolis teammates, but in fairness, he didn’t know his trip to the Minors was going to be so short.

"We're still working on it,” Triolo said Wednesday at PNC Park. “I didn't know I was going to be there for one day.”

It was just a pit stop at Indy for Triolo: Show up Tuesday, homer in his first at-bat, and return to Pittsburgh the next day, capping his stint on the 10-day injured list in just that many days. INF Tsung-Che Cheng was optioned to Indianapolis as a corresponding move.

Triolo had a slow start to the season, batting .059 out of the gate before his back locked up on him, which led to him being placed on the IL on April 7 (retroactive to April 6). But given the state of the infield and the number of injuries they’re dealing with on the right side of the infield (Nick Gonzales, Spencer Horwitz and Endy Rodríguez), the Pirates could use the depth of a 2024 Gold Glover.

"I just think plugging back into my spot where I was,” Triolo said. “Just being a utility guy where I can fit in anywhere and be available at any time."

More injury updates:

? Horwitz (right wrist surgery) is back to full baseball activities and hitting off the Trajekt machine at PNC Park. He will probably head to the Pirates’ Florida Complex in Bradenton soon, where he should take live at-bats off of Dauri Moreta (Tommy John surgery). Moreta is scheduled to throw some live batting practices in the near future, so it provides a chance for both players to face some live competition.

Once Horwitz gets those live swings, the question becomes how long of a rehab assignment will he need before he can finally debut with the Pirates. He didn’t have a Spring Training, so it could necessitate a longer trip.

“Historically, we looked through this last year, he had 40-50 plate appearances,” senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said. “That’s not suggesting that’s what he’s going to get. It’s just what history suggests. The year prior, he was part of the WBC [World Baseball Classic] and I think he had 35-40. Somewhere in that range.”

? Bryan Reynolds (shoulder) is cutting his throwing program and is “really close” to being deployed in the field again, Tomczyk said. Reynolds has been limited to just designated hitter duties for most of the season. Joey Bart (low back discomfort) went through a workout pregame.

? Gonzales (non-displaced left ankle fracture) will get some repeat imaging on Friday. He has been cleared to get on an anti-gravity treadmill for a bit so he doesn’t put his whole body weight on his ankle.

? Rodríguez (laceration to right index finger) has five sutures after taking a Paul Skenes pitch in the dirt to his hand. There were no bone breaks to his finger, but the particular crease to the back of his knuckle needs to be immobilized for 72 hours.

It sounds like he could be out for a bit because even when the sutures are removed, the new skin is going to be an issue. As Tomczyk said, “speed's not going to be our friend.”

“It's going to be fresh,” Tomczyk said about the skin. “We have to get creative with how we bandage it, how we protect it a little bit. In the crease, it's not like we can put a hard cast or some type of splint on that, because if you think about him hitting lefty and he's hitting like this, or hitting righty, he's going to need to grip that. That's going to be a daily walk with us and with him. That's why the surgeons are very adamant about some early immobilization to allow the skin [to heal]. We're amazing healers, so it'll heal, but it's going to be fresh, and we're just going to have to be creative with how we protect it.”

? Johan Oviedo (right lat, Tommy John surgery) is playing catch out to 75 feet after his planned six-week checkup from his lat injury. Tomczyk described him as a “ways away,” but he is on a return to pitch progression.

? Colin Holderman (right knee) threw 15 pitches in a recent live batting practice. The intention is for him to start a rehab assignment later this week. (No word on dinner plans for the Minor Leaguers at the time).