BRADENTON, Fla. – Today the Pirates announced that Jared Hughes is being treated for a left latissimus muscle strain. Hughes last pitched on March 16th, and that was the first time he pitched in an official game since March 9th. Head Athletic Trainer Todd Tomczyk said that Hughes is day-to-day, and that they’re hoping his injury won’t keep him out for the start of the season.
“That’s our goal, and that’s why we will evaluate day-to-day,” Tomczyk said. “We’re less than two weeks from Opening Day, and we’ll see what tomorrow brings from him.”
**Tomczyk also said that Jung-ho Kang continues to run on the dirt in his spikes while hitting the bases. However, Kang is on a modified running plan, which means he’s not hitting the bag hard or taking a sharp 90 degree turn to the next bag. You can see video of what Kang is currently doing here.
“He’s still working his way back into full base running,” Tomczyk said.
**Elias Diaz is experiencing right lateral elbow discomfort, which Tomczyk described as a chronic problem.
“We’re in a pause and a holding pattern from games played,” Tomczyk said. “We’re still in the process of treating, evaluating, and getting him back out there.”
The elbow is a red flag, especially with a chronic situation, although Tomczyk said they’ve checked the entire elbow, and while they’re still in the process of evaluating, they’re not “overly concerned” with a UCL issue.
**Robert Zarate threw off the mound today. The Pirates are waiting to see how he responds before moving forward, although Tomczyk said everything appeared to be moving in the right direction. Zarate should begin the season in Indianapolis.
