PITTSBURGH -- Pirates center fielder Anthony Alford underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair his fractured right elbow, but it appears he’ll be ready to compete for a spot in Pittsburgh’s outfield come spring.

Alford’s operation was performed at Allegheny General Hospital, the club announced Wednesday, and he is “projected to participate in full baseball activities in Spring Training 2021.” Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk clarified that Alford will be ready to take part in all baseball activities “whenever Spring Training’s going to start next year.”

That’s good news for Alford, who was clearly excited for a fresh start and an expanded opportunity with the Pirates after he was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays. And it could be good news for Pittsburgh, in need of outfield depth, as club officials believe the former top prospect possesses untapped upside.

Alford went 3-for-12 with a triple and a homer over his first five games with the Pirates before fracturing his elbow during a collision with the outfield wall as he tried to chase down a home run hit by Tucker Barnhart in the third inning of the Pirates’ 6-2 loss to the Reds on Saturday.

“I think the way it happened reflects a bit about who Anthony Alford is. Plays the game incredibly hard. He’s also really fast and strong, so when he’s going full speed into a hard surface like a wall, something bad might happen,” general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday on his KDKA-FM radio show. “He was disappointed, for sure. It’s hard for him. He’s here. He wants to make an impression, and he did a little bit already.”

Trainer’s room
• Right-hander Mitch Keller (strained left oblique) threw 43 pitches over three innings while facing teammates Jason Martin, Cole Tucker and John Ryan Murphy in live batting practice on Wednesday afternoon.

Tomczyk said “all signs were positive” coming out of the outing, but it’s unclear what will come next for Keller. If he’s cleared to rejoin the team for his next outing, the schedule lines up so that Keller would be on turn for one of the Pirates’ seven-inning doubleheader games on Monday in Cincinnati.

• Right-hander Jameson Taillon, who’s out for the season following August 2019 Tommy John surgery, threw 25 pitches in a live BP session on Wednesday. Taillon is throwing all of his pitches, and Tomczyk said Taillon continues to move in the right direction in his rehab.

• Closer Keone Kela (right forearm inflammation) threw off the mound for the first time since going on the 10-day injured list. Tomczyk said the Pirates have not yet determined his next step, but it seems Kela still wants to pitch in a game before the season ends, if possible.

“Obviously, that is on the forefront of Keone’s mind, and he wants to be out there. He’s a competitor. He wants to be out with his teammates, and we as an organization have to do what’s best for Keone,” Tomczyk said. “If that means that Keone’s going to pitch again this year, the little time we have, we’re going to try to honor that. He’s a really good asset to the team. He’s a really good pitcher, and I know he wants to finish strong.”

• Reliever Yacksel Ríos (right shoulder inflammation) had what Tomczyk called a “minor setback” in his rehabilitation late last week. Rios was shut down from throwing.

Play at the plate
Bryan Reynolds, making his first start of the season in center field on Tuesday night, teamed up with catcher Jacob Stallings to make an excellent play that prevented a run in the fifth inning of Pittsburgh’s 5-4 win over the White Sox.

After Nick Madrigal’s one-out double to left-center, Tim Anderson struck a hard single to center. Reynolds came in on the ball and fired a strong throw home, but up the first-base line from Stallings.

Stallings adjusted to field the ball then lunged across the plate to tag out Madrigal just before Madrigal’s hand touched the plate. It was Reynolds’ fifth outfield assist of the season, and his fourth to cut down a run at the plate.

"That’s where the throw took me. I really didn't have any idea where the runner was. Bryan made a great throw,” Stallings said. “To get that throw in the air, on a line, is really impressive. I just dove toward the plate where I thought the play was.”

Stallings and Reynolds have been two of the Pirates’ best defensive players this season. According to Sports Info Solutions, Stallings is tied for second among Major League catchers with 4 defensive runs saved and Reynolds is tied for third among left fielders with 4 DRS.