The Pittsburgh Pirates can’t seem to catch a break. Their 20-year-old rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has a torn tendon in his left ring finger, according to ESPN, and while he could technically play through the discomfort, the team is leaning toward a rehab stint that would sideline him for at least a month.
Griffin hurt himself making a diving catch against the Washington Nationals on Sunday. He stayed in the game, even hit a clutch two-run single after the play, but imaging later revealed the tendon damage was worse than he let on. The guy’s got guts, but that doesn’t help when a tendon is torn.
Another setback for a kid who just got back
This is brutal timing. Griffin had only returned in late June after missing nearly a month with a right forearm flexor strain. He came back swinging, looking every bit like the foundational piece Pittsburgh hoped for when they drafted him. Now he’s staring at what could be another month of rehab, likely back on the injured list until early August.
The Pirates already have infielder Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz on the IL. Their lineup is getting thin. Manager Don Kelly is basically working with a patchwork roster night after night, and losing your everyday shortstop again — a kid who’s supposed to be the future up the middle — is the kind of punch in the gut that tests a clubhouse.
What it means for Pittsburgh’s summer
The Pirates have been hanging in there, competing with a roster that keeps losing pieces. Griffin’s energy and glove work were a bright spot, and his bat had started to come around. Without him, the team has to scramble for answers at shortstop and hope the pitching staff can carry them through a rough stretch.
For Griffin, it’s another frustrating pause in what should be a breakout year. The talent’s obvious. The durability is now a question. He’ll get healthy, but every missed month is a month of development he can’t get back.
Rehab it is. The Pirates will wait. Again.
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