PITTSBURGH -- Already dealt a handful of injuries before Opening Day, the Pirates reported to PNC Park on Wednesday with their starting left fielder sidelined.

Corey Dickerson was out of Pittsburgh’s starting lineup against the Cardinals due to a sore right shoulder, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said. JB Shuck, who started on Opening Day when center fielder Starling Marte was scratched due to a migraine headache, got the nod in left field. Francisco Cervelli moved up to the No. 3 spot in the order.

Dickerson was available to pinch-hit on Wednesday night, Tomczyk said, and he came to bat in the bottom of the eighth, grounding out softly to the pitcher. He informed Pittsburgh’s athletic training staff of the soreness within the last 24 hours, after Monday’s home opener. His status is day-to-day.

Dickerson is off to a 2-for-13 start at the plate, but both of those hits went for extra bases as he has doubled and homered while working three walks in three games.

The Pirates began the season without starting right fielder Gregory Polanco or Lonnie Chisenhall, who was signed to handle right field while Polanco is sidelined. Polanco is playing seven innings in extended spring games and continuing to make progress in Bradenton, Fla. Chisenhall, who sustained a fractured right index finger last week in Houston, began gripping activities on Wednesday, according to Tomczyk.

Lyles ready for start

After winning the final spot in the rotation this spring, right-hander Jordan Lyles will come off the injured list and make his Pirates debut against the Reds on Thursday night at PNC Park.

Lyles was not ready to begin the season on the active roster because he was slightly set back in Spring Training by cramping in his right side, which cut short one of his outings and forced him to remain in Florida to throw six innings in a Minor League game last week. But he is built up and ready to go, and the Bucs are excited to see how the changes he made last year carry over as a starter this year.

“We like what he’s done. We like the maturity he’s brought to his game. We like the attack patterns that he showed last year,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We’ve always been an organization that has looked outside the box on people we could bring in at different points of their career for us to help them and them to help us.”

Lyles spent Spring Training getting familiar and comfortable with pitching coaches Ray Searage and Justin Meccage, as well as Cervelli. The Pirates were drawn to Lyles primarily due to the increased usage of his four-seam fastball and curveball, but he is confident in the rest of his arsenal, including his sinker and changeup.

Lyles quickly came to trust Cervelli’s leadership behind the plate this spring. After a couple of Grapefruit League outings, Lyles remarked that Cervelli called some pitch sequences or locations that the right-hander had never thrown before.

“Just the game-calling stands out foremost with him. Letting him put down his fingers and letting him take control of the situation,” Lyles said. “I think that takes a little bit of the pressure off the starting pitcher or any pitcher out there. You’re in good hands with him. There’s less things you have to focus on, worry about, making sure you’re in the right situation, right sequence, right pitch-calling.”

The Pirates will have to make room on the active roster for Lyles before Thursday’s game. They could choose to send out a reliever -- they’re currently carrying an eight-man bullpen -- or send down a position player and proceed with a short bench and a 13-man pitching staff.

Trainer’s room

• Catcher Elias Diaz, who missed two weeks in Spring Training due to a virus, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class A Advanced Bradenton.

“The staff and performance team down there are very confident,” Tomczyk said, “and most notably Elias is ready to begin this next step.”

• Reliever Dovydas Neverauskas (left oblique strain) threw a simulated game on Tuesday in Bradenton and responded well, Tomczyk said.

• Corner infielder/outfielder Jose Osuna (lower neck discomfort) is hitting without restrictions but has yet to resume throwing.