Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli left Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres after suffering a wrist injury, per Adam Berry of MLB.com.
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Cervelli Crucial to Pirates Offense, Pitching
Cervelli was a pleasant surprise for the Pirates in 2015. He had big shoes to fill, with Russell Martin leaving for the Toronto Blue Jays, and exceeded expectations. The 30-year-old batted .295 with seven home runs and 43 RBI.
FanGraphs ranked Cervelli second among qualified catchers in WAR (3.8), one spot ahead of Martin (3.5).
Despite the fact that he had played only one full season with the team, the Pirates thought enough of Cervelli to offer him a three-year extension worth $31 million.
This year hasn't gone according to plan, however. Cervelli suffered a hand injury June 10 against the St. Louis Cardinals:
The Pirates announced he had broken a hamate bone in his left hand, which required surgery.
Since he has already missed a significant chunk of the 2016 season, Pittsburgh can ill afford to lose Cervelli again. Neither Chris Stewart nor Erik Kratz is a serviceable backup if forced to play more than a few games at a time.
Considering the stranglehold the Chicago Cubs have on the National League Central, the Pirates will likely have to settle for a wild-card spot this year if they hope to make the playoffs. They need their starting catcher back as soon as possible to bolster their playoff position.
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