The Pittsburgh Pirates already were down one outfielder when they played the Tampa Bay Rays in their spring training home finale, then lost another who was projected to be a starter.
Left fielder Greg Allen, who hit a leadoff triple, was removed because of left hamstring discomfort after sliding in to score on a Diego Castillo sacrifice fly in the second inning of a 9-2 loss to the Rays on Sunday in a Grapefruit League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla.
Depending on the severity of the injury, Allen joins outfielder Anthony Alford (right hand) as a candidate to start the season on the injured list. First baseman Yoshi Tsutsugo also was removed from the game with neck tightness, though it’s not believed to be serious.
Claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees in November, Allen batted .294/.538/.765 with a triple, two home runs and four RBIs, as well as four stolen bases, in nine games. If Allen is unavailable, it could change the composition of the Opening Day 28-man roster.
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington indicated on the AT&T SportsNet telecast that the club is leaning toward a 14-14 split of position players and pitchers. That could bode well for multi-positional players such as Diego Castillo and Hoy Park, who were acquired from the Yankees in a trade deadline deal for reliever Clay Holmes last July.
After Pirates manager Derek Shelton named right-hander JT Brubaker the Opening Day starter for Thursday’s game at St. Louis, Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller allowed his first runs of spring training.
Keller gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five in throwing 76 pitches (48 strikes) in 3 2/3 innings to take the loss.
Wander Franco drove in two of those runs with doubles in the first and third. Keller also gave up three consecutive singles to load the bases before walking Brett Phillips. Franco went 3 for 3 with three doubles, including one off Dillon Peters, and scored on a Jordan Qsar single in the fourth.
Harold Ramirez and Roberto Alvarez hit back-to-back homers off Chris Stratton in the seventh, and Osleivis Basabe drove in runs with a double in the seventh and a single in the ninth.
Notes: Bryse Wilson is scheduled to start for the Pirates on Monday at the Baltimore Orioles and Zach Thompson on Tuesday at the Philadelphia Phillies. … The Pirates reassigned right-handed pitchers Chase DeJong and Eric Hanhold to minor league camp, reducing the roster to 37 active players in camp.
