Pirates' Bailey Falter to begin rehab at Triple-A; Jared Jones continues recovery

As the Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up a homestand and prepare to hit the road for six games to close July, several pitchers continue to work their way back from the injured list.

For some, a return to action is closer on the horizon.

Lefty starter Bailey Falter (left triceps tendinitis) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday, Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Tuesday.

Falter has been on the injured list since July 7. His performance Wednesday will help determine how quickly he returns to the Pirates.

“From a medical perspective, we’ll see how he gets through this one,” Tomczyk said. “See how the stuff plays. How his body recovers? I think that is to be determined. … We will see how he gets through this — (how) the body and arm recovers and we’ll go from there.”

Left-handed reliever Ryan Borucki, who hasn’t pitched for the Pirates since April because of triceps inflammation in his throwing arm, continues his rehab assignment with the Indians.

Rookie right-hander Jared Jones (right lat strain) has resumed playing catch and is throwing from 105 feet, Tomczyk said.

The next step for the 22-year-old will be throwing from a slope, which is different from throwing off a traditional pitching mound.

Jones is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend.

“If he throws his first bullpen this coming weekend, which we envision him to do, he will probably need another time off the slope throwing a side (session),” Tomczyk said. “Maybe a live batting practice or two, and we will consider next steps after that. I think we are looking at, rough estimate, everything goes as we envision, seven to 10 days of a couple more bullpens and live batting practices.”

Right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton continues in his rehabilitation assignment with the Bradenton Marauders.

Stratton, 27, is recovering from a right triceps strain and has made three minor-league rehab appearances, with another scheduled for Wednesday. He has been out since mid-June.

Tomczyk said there have been no bumps in the road thus far for Stratton.

Tomczyk also relayed that pitcher Braxton Ashcraft, the Pirates’ No. 4 overall prospect, continues to recover from a forearm issue.

Ashcraft, 24, was promoted to Indianapolis in early June after a dominant stretch at Double-A Altoona. However, two stints on the injured list (June 28 and July 11) have followed in the month-plus Ashcraft has spent with the Indians, over which time he had posted an 0.49 ERA in 18 1/3 innings.

Ashcraft, who is no stranger to navigating injuries in his professional career, now prepares for the next stage of recovery.

“He was placed on the seven-day (injured list) in the minor leagues with some lateral forearm tightness,” Tomczyk said. “He did return. He appeared in an Indians game, threw like three innings, 50-some pitches. After that outing, he did have some recurrent symptoms. At that point in time, we opted to learn from the surgeon of record, Dr. Keith Meister, who did his Tommy John in 2021. We got that second option.

“It was confirmed that it was muscle-related on the outside forearm. He is currently not pitching in games, but he is playing catch on flat ground. I would envision the next seven to 10 days, we see him back on the mound.”

Note: Tomczyk provided updates on the three Pirates recovering from Tommy John surgery: catcher Endy Rodriguez, righty reliever Dauri Moreta and right-handed starter Johan Oviedo. The switch-hitting Rodriguez is able to bat without restriction from the left side, is doing so from the right with no complications and is “in a really good spot.” No issues have been reported in Moreta’s recovery, with the 28-year-old currently focusing on strength and conditioning. Oviedo is playing catch five days a week from 110 feet.