Pirates Injury Update: Konnor Griffin rehab assignment, Oneil Cruz next steps, Wilber Dotel

The Pittsburgh Pirates received a mixed bag of injury updates on two of their most important young position players Sunday, with Konnor Griffin seemingly moving in the right direction while Oneil Cruz remains without a firm return timeline.

General manager Ben Cherington said during his weekly radio show that Griffin is making progress in his recovery from an elbow strain and could begin a minor league rehab assignment by the end of next week, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Griffin has missed all of June while working his way back from the injury, but that update represents a meaningful step forward for the standout rookie.

Griffin’s absence has been a costly one for a Pirates lineup that has struggled to find consistency. Even as a 19-year-old getting his first taste of Major League pitching, Griffin had held his own offensively, hitting four home runs and stealing 14 bases while performing as roughly a league-average bat.

That alone is impressive considering his age and lack of experience, but Griffin had also started to show signs of a legitimate breakout before landing on the injured list. He posted an .820 OPS in May, earning more opportunities higher in the batting order.

Griffin's eventual return should also provide a defensive boost. Jared Triolo has handled shortstop duties in Griffin’s absence, but he is slashing just .236/.354/.309 in June. While Triolo has been serviceable defensively at shortstop, Griffin’s athleticism and impact on both sides of the ball make him a clear upgrade. He has already been credited with three Defensive Runs Saved in just 51 games this season.

The update on Cruz was less encouraging. Cherington said Cruz has not yet resumed baseball activities as he continues to recover from multiple fractures in his hand. Cruz has been sidelined for roughly two weeks and is scheduled to meet with the Pirates’ medical staff Monday, which should help clarify his timeline.

Until then, the Pirates are still waiting for more concrete answers on one of their most dangerous hitters. Cruz’s combination of power and speed is impossible to replace, and with Pittsburgh trying to stay afloat through a stretch defined by injuries and uneven offensive production, getting both Griffin and Cruz back healthy remains critical.

Pirates Injury Update: Wilber Dotel takes positive step toward return

In other injury news, Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel appears to be trending toward a relatively quick return from his right lat strain.

Dotel, who landed on the 15-day injured list June 13, threw a bullpen session Saturday in Denver and showed encouraging progress. Cherington said Dotel’s fastball sat around 96 mph, only slightly below his season average of 98.2 mph.

Barring any setback, Dotel looks on track to avoid a prolonged absence and could be ready to rejoin Pittsburgh’s bullpen before the end of June.

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