PITTSBURGH -- With two key hitters on the restricted list and two more on the disabled list, the Pirates lost one of their top starters to an injury on Saturday. Right-hander Jameson Taillon was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to groin discomfort.
The assignment is retroactive to Thursday, so Taillon is eligible to return May 14. The injury is not related to his hernia surgery in July 2015, according to the club. It is unclear when or how Taillon sustained the injury. He gave up six earned runs in five innings against the Reds on Wednesday after allowing a combined seven over his first five outings of the season.
"It's groin discomfort. We didn't take it any further than that as far as evaluation of where, when, why," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We'll have more information later in the week when our doctors continue to evaluate him."
Taillon is 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA through six starts this season. He sat out all of 2014 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the hernia operation set him back toward the end of his rehab in '15.
Right-hander Trevor Williams will move out of the Pirates' bullpen and start in Taillon's place against the Dodgers on Monday in Los Angeles. Williams got the nod over Minor League options Andrew Hutchison and Steven Brault. The right-hander, 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in six relief appearances, will make his second Major League start.
"Williams is our sixth depth starter," Hurdle said. "Hutchison needs to continue to pitch there. … [Brault is] getting better. We want a guy who's been in the mix.
"Williams is ahead of Brault. Williams is ahead of Hutchison right now. Those guys stay in line, continue to pitch and provide us depth options if we need them. Give Williams the ball and see what he can do with it."
To take Taillon's spot on the active roster and fill Williams' spot in the bullpen, the club called up right-hander Joshua Lindblom from Triple-A Indianapolis. Lindblom reported to PNC Park on Saturday night and is available to pitch multiple innings, if needed.
Lindblom signed a Minor League contract with the Pirates on Jan. 13 and reported to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. He has not pitched in the Majors since 2014, when he was with the A's. The Pirates claimed him off waivers from the A's that December, but he was already on his way to South Korea.
The 29-year-old right-hander spent the 2015-16 seasons pitching for the Lotte Giants in the Korea Baseball Organization, before family and faith brought him back to the United States and the Pirates.
Lindblom, wearing No. 47 with the Pirates, was 0-2 with a 2.50 ERA in five appearances (four starts) for Indianapolis.