PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are facing a tough stretch ahead as they attempt to stay in postseason contention without one of their brightest young stars.
The team placed 20-year-old rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after he hurt the knuckle on the ring finger of his left hand. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told reporters Griffin is expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks.
The injury happened early in Sunday’s win over Washington, though Griffin stayed in the game and finished with two hits. A medical exam after the game revealed how serious the damage was.
Tomczyk explained that Griffin damaged the sagittal band, a structure that helps stabilize the ring finger. The young shortstop will wear a splint on the hand for roughly six weeks before he can begin baseball activities again.
This is the second major injury to slow Griffin’s rookie campaign. He also missed most of June dealing with a strained right forearm.
Despite the setbacks, Pirates manager Don Kelly expressed confidence in his young player’s resilience. “He’s really been a big part of our success,” Kelly said. “I think for him to learn through this, too, every single player goes through injuries. He’s just had a couple tough ones at the beginning. I know he’ll be stronger after going through it.”
When on the field, Griffin has looked like exactly the kind of cornerstone player Pittsburgh envisioned when they selected him in the first round of the 2024 draft. In 59 games this season, he is batting .276 with five home runs, 25 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.
Infielder Jared Triolo is expected to step in as the primary shortstop while Griffin recovers. Pittsburgh entered Tuesday with a 46-45 record, sitting in the middle of a crowded group of National League teams competing for a postseason spot.
Griffin joins center fielder Oneil Cruz and first baseman Spencer Horwitz on an already lengthy injured list for the Pirates. To fill Griffin’s roster spot, the club called up infielder Jack Brannigan from Triple-A Indianapolis.
