Pirates' Roberto Perez: Facing extended absence
Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Perez's strained left hamstring is on the "more severe side of things," suggesting that the catcher could be in store for a long-term stay on the injured list, Josh Rowntree of TribLive.com reports.
Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette adds that Perez was spotted walking around the Pittsburgh clubhouse Sunday with the aid of crutches, which seemingly supports Cherington's comments about the veteran backstop being at risk of an extended absence. A clear timeline for Perez's return may not emerge until the results of his MRI are known, but Andrew Knapp is expected to be the first man up to step in as the Pirates' No. 1 catcher. Pittsburgh also called up Michael Perez from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday to add depth behind the plate.
