PITTSBURGH -- Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez was hit in the left wrist by a pitch in the bottom of the fourth inning, exiting the game with training staff on Monday at PNC Park.
The 91 mph fastball from Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly left the outfielder in plenty of pain, and he will be further evaluated. Valdez has been nothing short of a star since debuting with Pittsburgh on May 22, blasting 14 home runs in 38 games.
Valdez is hitting .290 with a 1.088 OPS. He’s the latest Pirates position player to suffer an injury, as Spencer Horwitz, Endy Rodríguez, Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin have all had recent stints on the injured list. Rodríguez returned from injury on Monday, and Horwitz is expected to return shortly.