Chirinos is not likely to return to the starting rotation this season, Bill Chastain of MLB.com reports.
When asked Monday, manager Kevin Cash cast doubt on the prospect of Chirinos being used as anything other than an emergency starter with respect to being a part of the rotation. The 24-year-old has essentially been logging a starter's workload in recent appearances anyhow, as he's worked at least five innings as the long man on "bullpen days" in his last three appearances. Chirinos has had mixed success in that role thus far, looking sharp against the White Sox and Orioles before getting touched up for five earned runs on nine hits and a walk over six innings versus the Red Sox last Friday.