Jason Martin arrives from Triple-A as Kyle Crick goes on Pirates' injury list

Many thoughts went through Jason Martin’s head when he was called up to the Pittsburgh Pirates before he even played one game for Triple-A Indianapolis this season.

He made several phone calls, and his parents reacted quickly, flying from California with his sister and fiancée to be in the PNC Park stands for his first game Friday night.

“A lot of years went into this,” said Martin, who was an eighth-round draft choice of the Houston Astros in 2013. “This is a moment they’ve been waiting for as well. Overflow of emotions.

“A lot of thoughts are going through my head, but keeping in mind it’s the same game I’ve been playing since I was little. Triple-A in a different ballpark. Excited to go out and show what I got.”

He wasn’t in the starting lineup Friday, but manager Clint Hurdle doesn’t plan on having Martin wait too long for that first start.

“Not going to force anything, but I’d like to give everybody a start before we leave town (for a game in Chicago on Monday),” Hurdle said.

In spring training, Martin hit two home runs among his seven hits in 23 at-bats.

“It really puts a lot at ease knowing my progression has gotten to that level,” he said.

Martin, 23, never has played in the majors. He hit .325 for Double-A Altoona and .211 in Indianapolis last year.

“You never know if they’re ready until you call them up,” Hurdle said. “What we like was the development over the time since we acquired him (in the Gerrit Cole trade with the Astros). “The presence in the box, more consistency with the at-bats. Ball in the air showed up.

“Defensive routes. Aggressiveness to the ball. He’s still working on his throwing mechanics and technique. “Ability on the bases. Useable speed. Potential to steal a base now and then. I think some confidence grew on him offensively and defensively.”

Martin, who went to the same California high school (Orange Lutheran) as Cole, is taking the roster spot held by relief pitcher Kyle Crick, who became the 10^th Pirates player put on the injured list. Crick, who has right triceps tightness, has been effective in two appearances, striking out three of the six batters he faced in two innings.

Martin’s promotion has the potential to ease a manpower shortage in the Pirates’ outfield, with Gregory Polanco (shoulder surgery), Lonnie Chisenhall (broken right index finger) and Corey Dickerson (shoulder strain) on the injured list.

Colin Moran, whose outfield experience is limited to 30 innings and five putouts in Triple-A Fresno in 2017, started in left field Friday for Dickerson.

“I said I’d love to do it. Anywhere to get me in the lineup, I’ll play,” Moran said.

Moran, who lost his third base job to Jung Ho Kang, is showing off his versatility. He’s already played three innings at first base, with a home run, double and single in five at-bats.

Hurdle said he put Moran in the lineup Friday for his bat.

“I’m going to try and go out there and reward them for that,” Moran said. “I definitely worked on some things more than usual in spring training, tried to be OK with failing a little bit by trying some new things, hoping it would pay off. “I feel comfortable with it now. As a competitor, it’s not easy to try stuff, but you stick to the process.”

“If anything wrong goes out there, that’s on me,” Hurdle said. “He’s willing to go out there. I told him to get to what you get to. There’s no such thing as a bad catch and hit the cutoff man when you get it.

“It’s not like we’ve drawn this completely up in the dirt. He went out there and ran around all day (Thursday) and said he’s ready to go. We’ll find out.”

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