Steven Brault recovered, will pitch Wednesday against Brewers, but Pirates lose Chad Kuhl to covid injured list

On the day the Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed back their best pitcher from 2020, a rotation regular through most of 2021 must sit down.

Manager Derek Shelton said Monday that Steven Brault, who has missed the entire season with a left lat strain (latissimus dorsi muscle in his back), will pitch Wednesday in the finale of the three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Meanwhile, Chad Kuhl has been placed on the covid illness list after experiencing symptoms and testing positive. He will be out at least 10 days after he is symptom free.

Brault and Kuhl were expected to nail down two spots in the Pirates’ starting rotation before Brault was shut down March 24. Kuhl (3-6), who missed six weeks earlier this season with right shoulder discomfort, has pitched 67 innings over 14 starts, with a 4.43 ERA, 1.358 WHIP and 58 strikeouts. He has picked up the strikeout pace recently, with 29 in his past 26 innings.

Shelton said he has no realistic expectations for Brault beyond the ability to “pitch healthy.” With 57 games left, he potentially could start nine games in August and September.

“He’s worked really hard to get back and put himself in a position to start major-league games,” Shelton said, “and we’re going to be very mindful of (his health).”

In four rehab starts over 12 2/3 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis and Single-A Bradenton, Brault allowed only seven hits, two runs and three walks for a 0.789 WHIP and 1.42 ERA.

“He’s efficient,” Shelton said of Brault’s most recent minor-league outings. “He threw the ball at the plate. That’s extremely important. More important, he continued to build up, health-wise, and he’s starting to feel stronger.”

Brault was named the Steve Blass Award winner last year, given to the team’s best pitcher by the local chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He threw the Pirates’ only complete game, a two-hitter, in a 5-1 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 17. It was his only victory in four decisions during the shortened season, but he finished with a 3.38 ERA and 1.195 WHIP.

Shelton declined to comment on limitations in terms of innings and pitches Brault would have in Wednesday’s game.

Shelton said Kuhl approached him when he felt symptoms. “I want to applaud Chad because when he felt symptoms, he told us and we were able to get him tested,” he said.

“He did a really good job of making us aware of (contact tracing). We are still continuing to test unvaccinated people, per the protocol. But after the contact tracing and our unvaccinated, we have tested everybody and, so far, we’ve had no other positive tests.”

Kuhl’s spot on the roster will be taken by relief pitcher Shea Spitzbarth, who was recalled from Indianapolis. Spitzbarth, 26, has appeared in 27 games (all in relief), with a 1.41 ERA and 1.031 WHIP in 32 innings.

“He has been throwing the ball well and he deserves the opportunity to come up here and show us what he’s got,” Shelton said.

The Pirates claimed Spitzbarth last year from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft.

In another personnel move, the Pirates claimed well-traveled left-handed pitcher Anthony Banda off waivers from the New York Mets.

Banda, 27, has been with five organizations and pitched in parts of five major-league seasons for three teams. He was designated for assignment by the Mets on Saturday.

Banda began this season at Triple-A Sacramento in the San Francisco Giants organization, but was traded to the Mets in exchange for infielder Will Toffey on July 2. He was the winning pitcher July 19 in the Mets’ 15-11 victory against the Cincinnati Reds in 11 innings. In that game, Banda faced seven batters and allowed four hits and two unearned runs.

Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 10th round of the 2012 draft, Banda was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014 and made his major-league debut in 2017. He also spent parts of the 2018, 2019 and 2020 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays after another trade.

In 23 major-league games (five starts), Banda is 5-3, with one save, a 6.14 ERA and 1.483 WHIP.