Pirates Star Andrew McCutchen Suffering From Fractured Rib, Not Going On DL Yet
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh Pirates star center fielder Andrew McCutchen is suffering from a fractured rib and will not be placed on the disabled list right away.
McCutchen says he wants to see how the injury heals before going on the DL.
The Pirates star says he doesn't know if there is any correlation between being hit by a pitch in Saturday's game and the injury he sustained Sunday.
Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington says McCutchen has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture involving his 11th rib.
"All I can say is it's better than an oblique injury," said McCutchen. "It's not my oblique, it's cartilage off the rib, so those are two different things and that heals quicker than muscle. I think my body is pretty good and it responds pretty well to a lot of different things and I'll be back on my feet in hopefully no time."
The team says they will continue to evaluate his progress and McCutchen will remain on the active roster.
"We want to take the appropriate time to make the best possible decision for Andrew and for the Pirates," Huntington said.
"Of course I want to be back there on the field as quick as possible, but at the same time, I want to be healed to be able to know that when I go out there and I make a diving play or I take that same swing, it's not going to bother me," McCutchen added. "However long that takes; hopefully, sooner than later, and we're just going to go from there."
McCutchen was hit by a 95 mph fastball in the back by Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randall Delgado Saturday night.
Listen to the full interview with Andrew McCutchen here:
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Dr. Bryson Lesniak with the UPMC Department of Orthopedic Surgery explained what McCutchen's injury is to "The KDKA Morning News" with Larry Richert and John Shumway.
He said an avulsion fracture,"occurs when a muscle, ligament, or a tendon pulls a piece of bone away from the rest of the bone. Usually it's from a pretty aggressive or pretty strong muscle pull. [It] happens in younger athletes, elite athletes too, where the muscle and tendon are just a little bit stronger than the bone interface so the bone pulls off a little bit."
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