Pirates place Freese on DL, call up Ortiz

MIAMI -- The Pirates on Saturday placed third baseman David Freese on the 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain and selected the contract of outfielder Danny Ortiz from Triple-A Indianapolis. Freese's DL stint is retroactive to Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Freese had not played since tweaking the hamstring running the bases in Monday's game vs. the Cubs. He took batting practice and infield practice prior to Friday's series opener at Marlins Park, and he was listed on the lineup card as available for the game, but it was determined that he would need additional time to heal.
"Didn't go as well as hoped," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Friday's pregame workout.
"I still felt it," Freese concurred.
Hurdle said he thought it was an easier move to place Freese on the 10-day DL as opposed to the old 15-day DL.
"Yeah, it is an easier move, but the real part on the other side is the injury," Hurdle said. "Just because they're hurt doesn't mean their injury is going to go away in 10 days vs. 15. Hamstrings are tricky. [Adam] Frazier is trying to work through his.
"David is best suited just to take the time he needs to take to come back good, not OK, to come back in a good spot. He was in a very good spot for us to this point."
Freese has been off to a good start to begin the season, hitting .321 with three homers and 10 RBIs.
"We want to make sure he doesn't feel pressed to get back, and we'll move on from here," Hurdle said.
Ortiz was hitting .217 with a double and three RBIs for Indianapolis. The 27-year-old led all players in the Pirates' farm system with 17 home runs last season.

"It gives us a defender at all three [outfield] spots," Hurdle said of the move. "He had a very good Spring Training with us, finished strong. So gives us that option to defend late if we need to, or spot start."
Ortiz said that he's been spending more time concentrating on his hitting in preparation for this day.
"I've been spending a lot more time working on my judgment at the plate, making sure that I have a better zone and a better approach, and just a better judgment of what's a good pitch for me and what's not a good pitch for me," Ortiz said.