The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that Corey Hart will remain on the Major League disabled list for the remainder of the season. The first baseman had his rehab assignment ended today with Indianapolis, but the Pirates chose not to activate him. Instead, he has returned home to Arizona.
Hart was on the 60-day disabled list, so he wasn’t taking up a roster spot on the 40-man. They’re locked in to his salary no matter what, so their options were to either recall him, or take this route, which is basically the same result as releasing him. Recalling him would have required a spot to be opened on the 40-man roster, and the Pirates already have a shortage of available spots, with a need to add Vance Worley to the roster in the future.
It would appear this is it for Hart’s career. If the Pirates would have been able to find another opportunity for him elsewhere, they probably would have released him. The fact that he’s going home isn’t a good sign that something else was out there. The Pirates no longer had a need for him after adding Michael Morse at the deadline, and then signing Travis Snider.