Pirates put Zach Thompson on IL, send Liover Peguero to Double-A; Oneil Cruz, Bligh Madris prepare to start tonight

The Pittsburgh Pirates opened up roster space for Oneil Cruz and Bligh Madris to make their 2022 major-league debuts Monday night by placing starting pitcher Zach Thompson on the 15-day injured list with right forearm nerve inflammation and optioning shortstop Liover Peguero back to Double-A Altoona.

Cruz and Madris were in the starting lineup for the beginning of a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park. Cruz was playing shortstop and batting sixth in the order; Madris was in right field, batting seventh.

Thompson’s absence will take a bite out of the Pirates’ starting rotation. He is 3-5 with a 4.47 ERA, 41 strikeouts and 23 walks in 54 1/3 innings. He most recently pitched Friday and was the losing pitcher in the 2-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants, walking five batters in 4 1/3 innings.

“I do appreciate the fact that Zach had been grinding,” manager Derek Shelton said. “After his last start we started talking to him. We figured it was probably the best time to give him a blow so we didn’t run into something that could be a longer period of time.”

Over his past eight starts since May 8 when he pitched against the Cincinnati Reds after taking an IV in the morning, Thompson is 4-4 with a 2.54 ERA, including seven games in which he allowed two or fewer earned runs.

“I was feeling something for the past couple weeks,” Thompson said before the game Monday. “Just kind of grinding through it. After this last start, it really just kind of popped up and started bothering me. So it’s a good time to give me a breather and make sure this heals up right, then be good to go. It shouldn’t be that long of an issue.

“It’s better to be proactive than reactive and take care of it now and allow me to finish the year super healthy and strong and, hopefully, continue that May for the entire rest of the season.”

Thompson was 2-1 in May, with a 2.46 ERA, allowing 20 hits and six walks and striking out 19 in 25 2/3 innings.

Shelton said he doesn’t know who will start Wednesday in Thompson’s spot in the rotation.

“We don’t have anybody lined up yet. We’re going to have to figure that out in the next two days,” he said.

Peguero, 21, made his major-league debut Saturday, getting one hit — a single — and a walk in three at-bats against the Giants. He was the first player in Pirates history born in 2000 or later to appear on the active roster.

Cruz, 23, is the Pirates’ No. 3 prospect, according to MLB.com, behind first-round draft choices Nick Gonzales and Henry Davis. Overall, he is ranked No. 20 in the game by Baseball America and No. 22 by MLB.com.

Cruz was on the roster for the final three games of the 2021 season, getting three hits, including a home run and three RBIs, in nine at-bats. In 55 games this season, he hit .232, with nine home runs and 35 RBIs for Triple-A Indianapolis.

At 6-foot-7, he is the tallest position player to play for the Pirates and the tallest shortstop in MLB history.

Madris, 26, made his major-league debut after hitting .304 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 46 games for Indianapolis.