The Pittsburgh Pirates‘ oft-shaky pitching staff just got a little thinner as they’ve sent Ryan Vogelsong to the 15-day disabled list. General Manager Neal Huntington has said that the organization won’t rush any of their prospects, but considering their success at Indianapolis and the Pirates’ need, an immediate call-up is necessary.
RHP Ryan Vogelsong has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to facial fractures. #Pirates
Advertisement— #VotePirates (@Pirates) May 24, 2016
Vogelsong pitched just two innings before leaving Monday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. He was drilled in the head by a pitch from Rockies starter Jordan Lyles and was immediately taken to the hospital. The good news, according to Vogelsong’s wife, Nicole, is that the Pirates’ veteran will be just fine.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for the outpouring of love & prayers for Ryan. He is stable & will be ok. Pirates will update more tomorrow.
— Nicole Vogelsong (@nicolevogelsong) May 24, 2016
Pittsburgh has struggled with pitching consistency all season long and it has cost them a few significant leads this season. Gerrit Cole (5-3, 2.79 ERA) seems to be back on track after a difficult start to the season, but after him, Vogelsong (3.74) has the next highest ERA. The next active starting pitcher on the list is Juan Nicasio, who has a 4.46 earned run average.
Tyler Glasnow has an impressive ERA of 2.16 in nine starts this season at Triple-A Indianapolis. The 22-year-old leads the International League with 63 strikeouts. Former No. 2 overall pick Jameson Taillon has been even better since returning from Tommy John surgery, boasting a 1.82 ERA in eight starts.
“In a perfect world, they have a full year in Triple-A,” Huntington told reporters (via ESPN.com). “I think the results when we’re able to give guys a significant amount of experience in Triple-A shows. They make an easier transition, they tend to be able to adjust quicker at the major league level.”
It’s hard to justify keeping them down, though, given their performance and Pittsburgh’s depleted and inconsistent staff. Their offense (.279 average) is one of the best in baseball and is behind only the Boston Red Sox (.296), who are hitting at a historic rate. If the Pirates want to continue to compete in the competitive National League, they’ll need the contributions of their top prospects.