Notes: Perez Out For the Year/Catcher Shuffle; Report: Roansy/Yerry Called Up; MiLB Injuries

And the scuffle goes on...

Notes:

• The Pirates opened the week by dropping two-of-three to the Cubs at Wrigley, losing 9-0 & 7-0 before taking a 3-2 victory. Mitch Keller made his first ever MLB appearance out of the bullpen during the series finale, so we'll see where that leads. The Cards then swept the Pirates, with Adam Wainwright leading the charge. The 37 consecutive scoreless innings by Wainwright against the Pirates is the longest stretch of the expansion era (since 1961) v Pittsburgh. Jack Baldschun (1961-64/Phils) and Phil Niekro (1969-71/Atlanta) had 36-inning streaks. In addition, he's allowed one or zero  runs in each of his last nine starts against the Pirates. That's the longest streak by any MLB pitcher against any opponent in the modern era per Stats by Stats.
• Pittsburgh went 42 straight at bats/13 innings before collecting a hit (a Michael Chavis single) on Monday and scored their first run after twenty zippo frames on Wednesday.

Roansy Contreras - 2022 Topps/35th Anniversary

• It's been reported by Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital (a Dominican news station) but not yet confirmed by the Pirates although by other media sources, that RHP Roansy Contreras will be called back to Pittsburgh from Indy. If so, he last started on Thursday, so a Tuesday call up would keep him on schedule. The report also said righty reliever Yerry De Los Santos, who currently isn't on the 40-man, will join him
• On Monday night, C Tyler Heineman became the 41st different player to appear in a game for the Pirates this season. The Bucs had a club-record 64 different players appear in a game last season, including 35 pitchers (plus three position players who also tossed); they've used 21 hurlers so far this year & IFs Diego Castillo & Josh Van Meter with four months+ yet to go.
• SS Kevin Newman began his rehab at Indy on Tuesday. He suffered what the Pirates describe as a a minor hammy issue while there, delaying his return by an undetermined period.
• The Pirates claimed C Tyler Heineman, 30, off waivers from the Blues Jays and DFA'ed C Andrew Knapp, also 30, who couldn't step up after Roberto Perez's injury and lost the seat-warmer spot to Michael Perez. Getting ejected for yapping in the game R Perez was hurt in certainly didn't help his cause, nor did his .129 BA. (Knapp cleared waivers and elected free agency, signing a minor league deal with Seattle) Heineman has a .221 BA over 30 MLB games with Miami, San Francisco and Toronto and has mostly served as an upper level insurance policy. And get used to the pair; Roberto is done - he had season-ending surgery on his hamstring for a ruptured tendon.

Blake Cederlind down again - 2021 photo Mike Carlson/Getty

• RHP Blake Cederlind was just shut down for 4-6 weeks and got a PRP shot. He had Tommy John surgery in 2021 and had started a throwing program in April. 
• RHPs Max Kranick and Miguel Yajure have been placed on the 7-day IL by Indy. Yajure has lower back/hip issues; no clues as to what's ailing Max, although in April he was on the IL with forearm tightness.
• Recently promoted Altoona C Henry Davis was also placed on the 7-day IL with a wrist contusion, later found to be a fracture; recovery time is TBD. The Curve's RHP Carmen Mlodzinski is back in action now, being activated off the IL on Thursday.
• RHP Trevor Cahill signed a minor league deal with the Mets. He tossed in nine games (1-5/6.57) before sitting out the rest of the year with a calf strain as a Pirate last year.