PITTSBURGH – Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin is expected to miss 8-10 weeks after being placed on the 10-day IL with a torn sagittal band in his left ring finger. The 20-year-old suffered the injury in Sunday’s game against the Nationals on a diving attempt at a single up the middle in the third inning.
“It just kind of sucks, just getting back and feeling good. I was rolling, then I only get to play six games and back to the injured list,” Griffin told reporters Wednesday. “It’s a tough time right now, but I’m trying to make the most out of it and trying to stay positive.”
Griffin told reporters after the game that the finger was fine but after checking with the medical staff and a hand specialist, the imaging identified a tear. The band stabilizes the extender tendon, and is a connective tissue that reinforces the support.
Griffin had the option to play through the injury, though it would have turned into a far worse one that needed surgery and a possible four-month absence, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. Cherington added that if the injury were, say, in October, it would possibly be a different conversation.
Griffin said the decision took a while and was “weighing on his heart.”
“That’s a tough thing I faced,” Griffin said. “I was told that if I continued to play, every time that tendon stays loose, it’s just not helping it at all. The chance of having to have a big-time surgery, the risk of that is going to be way more. Trying to play through it and hearing that it could get worse, it’s tough because of the position we’re in. I want to be in there and try to help the team win, try to do my part. But it really felt like the right decision was to naturally heal, put it in a splint and see where we were after six weeks.”
“There was a bunch of options that were discussed and presented to Konnor and team through the physicians,” Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said. “The best choice is non-operative care, the six weeks of splint and immobilization to make sure that this can properly heal and that it can return to the high function.”
Griffin, the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, already missed about a month this season with a right forearm strain. Since returning June 26, he's hit .306 with a .776 OPS. On the season, he's hitting .276 with five homers, 20 steals and a .736 OPS.
“It's a punch in the gut,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “Konnor is a huge part of the team.”
“It's frustrating, more so for him, coming back off of injury the first time in the big leagues. I don't want to say got off to a slow start, but for his standards, got off to a slow start and turned 20, and then just turned it on, and has been doing great, and really been a big part of our success. He's just had a couple tough [injuries] here at the beginning, and I know that he'll be stronger after going through it.”
Griffin can’t swing fully and will stay away from catching with a glove for six weeks until the splint is off. He hopes to continue running and throwing. Griffin is not the only key Pirates bat to join the injured list. Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz have also missed time and are not expected back until after the All-Star break.
Jack Brannigan will be activated from the taxi squad to replace Griffin’s spot on the active roster. Jake Mangum will take up the majority of the time in the leadoff spot, and Jared Triolo will fill in at shortstop.
“I don't know,” Cherington said Wednesday on how Griffin’s injury affects the Pirates’ Trade Deadline plans. “I think we're still processing it. Forty-eight or 72 hours ago, we probably felt like Konnor and Triolo on the team and our guys behind them, probably not an area we're really focused on. Now that's changed, and obviously a lot of trust in Triolo, and other guys who can play there, but you know, it changes a little bit, so probably open-minded.”
Griffin won’t be expected back until at least September, when Pittsburgh hopes to still be in the postseason race.