No Timeline Yet for Konnor Griffin Rehab Assignment, Pirates Hoping Soon
PITTSBURGH — Konnor Griffin’s promising rookie season with the Pirates was paused when he was placed on the injured list since May with a right forearm strain on May 31.
The 20-year-old initially tried to play through the injury, serving two games as the team’s designated hitter, before the Pirates made the decision to put him on the IL.
Griffin, who has been able to hit during his entire stint on the IL, recently began a throwing program as he ramps up to get back into game shape.
“I think it’s a good sign that he is throwing, because he was able to do all the other baseball activities, really the whole time,” general manager Ben Cherington said on his 93.7 The Fan Radio show on Sunday. “Throwing was obviously gonna be the last thing to come. We wanted to make sure he was 100% asymptomatic before he started a throwing progression.”
Griffin started throwing from 90 feet at roughly 75% intensity on Wednesday at PNC Park and came away feeling good. As he continues to progress, the Pirates want to ensure they are being thorough with their franchise cornerstone.
“With this particular issue that he’s coming off of, we want to make sure it’s a legitimate throwing progression,” said Cherington. “This is not gonna be a two or three day thing. He’ll continue to build up volume and distance.”
The Pirates are still several weeks away from seeing Griffin back on the field with the team, so a rehab assignment will be needed before he’s reinstated. As of now, there is no timeline for when that will begin.
“We don’t have a specific date for that yet, but the fact that he’s in his throwing progression means that hopefully that’s coming not too long from now,” said Cherington.
Griffin appeared in 51 games for the Pirates prior to landing on the shelf and batted .270/.327/.402 with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs, 22 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He started 47 games at shortstop (49 appearances) and posted a .967 fielding percentage with three defensive runs saved.
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