The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that Chris Stewart will be reinstated from his rehab assignment, with Tony Sanchez optioned to Triple-A as the corresponding move.
The move comes despite some speculation that the Pirates may break camp with three catchers. Sanchez had done very well to improve his standing in the eyes of Clint Hurdle and others during spring training, and hit the season running, slashing .375/.444/.819 in a part time role. A somewhat-murky catcher picture heading into this season has become clear with Francisco Cervelli firmly grabbing hold of the starting position.
Stewart will provide excellent defensive capabilities in a backup role. With Cervelli’s excellent start at the plate, Hurdle and staff likely felt more comfortable with letting Sanchez go back to his familiar home in Indianapolis. Of course, going into the season the big question centered around replacing the offensive production of Russell Martin, freshly departed for the Toronto Blue Jays. As of the time of this writing, Martin is struggling out of the gate, posting a .042 AVG with zero extra base hits, while Cervelli has proven to be very adept at getting on base, with an .OBP of .360 in 26 plate appearances.