Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez heads to IL for Pirates
The Bucs got some players back, but another has gone down.
Chicago, Illinois - September 9, 2026 - The Pittsburgh Pirates recently decided to send rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez to the 10-day IL due to a hamstring injury while rounding the bases. The Pirates will replace Valdez with outfielder Ronny Simon, who was previously brought up from Triple A last week but sent back down due to Ryan O'Hearn's return.
Valdez, who is just 22, has been a pleasant surprise this season, hitting .232 with 17 home runs and 47 RBIs over 72 games played. However, with only 14 games remaining in the season, it is likely that Valdez's time with the Pirates has come to an end. Simon, on the other hand, has been having a great year with Indianapolis, hitting .334 with 7 home runs and 72 RBIs, and has also played in 10 games at the major league level with a .282 average and 2 RBIs.
The Pirates were finally looking healthy again before Valdez's injury, having gone 4-2 on their Chicago road trip. The team is currently 5.5 games back of a Wild Card spot and is unlikely to make the playoffs. The Pirates will return to action tomorrow with a three-game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers, followed by two more series at home against the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals.
Finishing the 2026 MLB season strongly is still a possibility, but playoff chances are slim without a complete collapse of the teams ahead of them.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
