PITTSBURGH — Promising Pirates left-hander Taylor Hearn is likely out for the remainder of the season, team trainer Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday.
Hearn, 22, had been pitching with the High-A Bradenton Marauders and was placed on the minor-league disabled list with a strained right oblique on Friday. With Bradenton’s season ending in a little over five weeks, that’s probably the end of the road for Hearn’s 2017.
“At this point, I would think so,” Tomczyk said. “To rush a young arm like that back is probably not advantageous to him or us. But we’ll take it day-by-day and we’ll see what we can squeeze out of him at the end of the season.”
Bradenton is currently in second place in their division and three games back of first-place Fort Myers. If they could make a postseason run, it would give Hearn more time to recover and return to the mound. Otherwise, he could make up for lost time by pitching during instructs.
MEADOWS ON THE MEND
Outfield prospect Austin Meadows will begin a rehab assignment some time in the next week or two as he returns from a right hamstring strain.
“He’s in the final preparations of getting into a game in the near future,” Tomczyk said.
Tomczyk added that the only thing that Meadows hasn’t done yet is run the bases at full speed. That’s usually the final step in the recovery process for a hamstring injury.
OTHER UPDATES
**Josh Bell was given a day off after a collision at first base on Tuesday. He is expected to be fine.
**Chad Kuhl has had no ill effects from his collision at home place with Brewers catcher Stephen Vogt on Monday.
**Clay Holmes (shoulder fatigue) is expected to make his next scheduled start on Friday.
