The Pittsburgh Pirates officially got their roster down to 25 players on Thursday morning by placing reliever AJ Schugel on the 10-day disabled list due to shoulder discomfort. The move was made retroactive to Monday, so Schugel will be eligible to come off the DL next Thursday, though he isn’t expected to be ready by then.
Schugel pitched just once during the spring before being shutdown due to his shoulder discomfort. Eight days ago, we got word that he extended his throwing program to 120 feet and then on Monday he threw his first bullpen. He will be able to workout at Pirates City between now and when he’s ready to return to action. The minor league season begins on April 6th, so he can begin rehab games at that point. Schugel is out of options, so at some point, they have to make a decision to add him to the Major League roster or put him on waivers with the intent of sending him to Indianapolis if he clears.
In case you missed it, today’s Opening Day has been postponed until tomorrow, which was originally a scheduled off-day. It’s still a 1:10 PM start time.
