Ke'Bryan Hayes returns to Pirates' lineup while team keeps keen eye on his back tightness

Ke’Bryan Hayes returned to third base and the No. 3 spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates batting order Friday night after missing the previous two games against the New York Mets with tightness in his lower back.

Manager Derek Shelton said he monitors Hayes’ back issue with daily conversastions.

“The biggest hurdle (Thursday when the Pirates were off) was he came in, played catch, he worked out, our trainers looked at him and he hit,” Shelton said. “He and I had a conversation. He felt he was in a good spot.”

To be sure, Pirates bench coach Don Kelly checked on Hayes when he arrived at PNC Park on Friday.

“We have to be careful with the back,” Shelton said. “It’s something that we’ve seen over the course of time with a lot of guys that it affects a lot of things. If we have to continue to monitor his volume a little bit until he feels back in a 100% good spot, we will definitely do that.”

Todd Tomczyk, the Pirates director of sports medicine, said he knew Hayes was feeling better the minute he saw him Friday.

“He’s smiling, which he always does,” Tomczyk said. “It’s a good indicator on how he’s feeling. But we’re always looking for different reasons or solutions to continue to keep him available. From biomechanics to soft tissue to hitting, it’s a collaborative approach. And it’s every day.”

In other injury news:

• After the Pirates received a second medical opinion, catcher Jason Delay had a right knee procedure this week and won’t return to full baseball activities for six weeks, Tomczyk said. He labeled the procedure “a meniscal debridement.”

Delay has played in only one game this season.

• Starting pitcher Marco Gonzales, who is on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm muscle strain, won’t throw for “a couple weeks,” Tomczyk said.

“He’s actually resumed all gripping activities, so that is nice progress for him, in the right direction. We’ll continue to monitor him daily.”

Surgery is not being considered, he said.

“He has had UCL reconstruction in the past,” Tomczyk said. “But at this juncture we did consult, as we commonly do, with the surgeon on record (Neal ElAttrache), in addition to our doctors at AHN. They all feel very confident in the diagnosis and prognosis at this point.”

• Catcher Endy Rodriguez, who is out for the season after UCL surgery, has started taking “dry swings,” Tomczyk said.

Rodriguez’s hitting progression will continue next week with a baseball on a tee.

“He continues to make really, really good strides in his rehab,” he said.

• Relief pitcher Ryan Borucki (left triceps inflammation) played catch last week in Philadelphia.

“He had a little bit of residual soreness, so we decided to take a couple of more days off,” Tomczyk said. “He is not throwing right now, but we anticipate (Borucki) to resume throwing early next week.”

• Catcher Yasmani Grandal (plantar fasciitis) is on his second rehab assignmenBot in Triple-A Indianapolis

• Joey Bart was hit in the head while catching without a helmet in the Pirates’ bullpen in New York.

“Out of an abundance of precaution, it was more illness than concussion-like symptoms,” Tomczyk said.

Bart didn’t start but was available Friday.