Pitchers and catchers just reported, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are already dealing with an injury to one of their relievers. Jason Mackey reports that Robert Stephenson has been slowed by right arm discomfort, and the team is taking a cautious approach early in Spring Training.
One injury note: Robert Stephenson has been slowed by some right arm discomfort. Don't know more than that. He told me they're just being cautious. Threw yesterday, but that's it.
— Jason Mackey (@JMackeyPG) February 19, 2023
The Pirates claimed Stephenson off waivers last year, and the righty appeared in 13 games with the club. The former first-round pick put together a 3.38 ERA, with 0.83 walks and hits per inning pitched and 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Still, it’s a concerning development that Stephenson is dealing with a throwing arm injury this early in camp. His progress is worth monitoring over the coming days as the Pirates gear up for Grapefruit League action.
It could be another long season for Pirates fans. The perennial basement dwellers enter the 2023 campaign as +20000 longshots in World Series futures betting and +6000 to win the NL Central, per the line info from FanDuel Sportsbook.
