Pirates shut down Keone Kela for at least 10 days
Relief pitcher Keone Kela’s troubled season continued Friday when he returned from his rehab assignment in Triple-A Indianapolis with recurrent shoulder discomfort.
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that Kela will be shut down from throwing for about 10 days. He has been on the injured list retroactive to May 6.
Kela was acquired last season in a trade with the Texas Rangers to help solidify the Pirates’ bullpen. The goal was to use him as a late-inning bridge to closer Felipe Vazquez.
But after working 54 innings between Pittsburgh and Texas and recording 24 saves – all with the Rangers – he was shut down Sept. 4.
Kela (1-0, 4.63 ERA) appeared in 14 games this season, allowing six runs, 11 hits (three home runs) and four walks in 11 2/3 innings.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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