Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart sustained a foot infection just as he was finding some rhythm offensively.
He was batting .400 over his last six games when he was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday.
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said there is no timetable in place for Bart’s potential return to action.
“Still to be determined,” Tomczyk said Thursday at PNC Park. “See how the body responds, see how the body responds to the initial doses of IV antibiotics and learn more. Hopefully it’s sooner than later, but too soon to even make a projection right now.”
Tomczyk revealed that the 29-year-old Bart did not suffer his injury through any in-game occurrence.
Rather, he noticed discoloration and swelling in his foot before notifying head athletic trainer Luke Novosel.
“Unfortunately, this happens in professional sports settings, when they’re always sweating and they’re in and around dirt,” Tomczyk continued. “But he’s getting the right, necessary steps. It wasn’t an in-game injury.”
Bart, in his third season with the Pirates, had slashed .259/.290/.379 with two home runs and six RBIs over 21 games.
• Outfielder Jake Mangum, on the injured list since May 8 (hamstring strain), is “headed in the right direction,” per Tomczyk.
The 30-year-old Mangum was batting .260 with three RBIs and two doubles, seeing action at all three outfield spots at the time of his injury.
“He has resumed all baseball activities, responded well to the initial stress from the performance team — we anticipate him ramping up the intensity and volume of his running activities in the coming days so they can have a conversation with Donnie and Ben and team about what the next steps are,” Tomczyk said.
• Tomczyk also offered an update on reliever Chris Devenski, who is dealing with an undisclosed illness.
The veteran right-hander, who began the year in the minor leagues and was recalled by the Pirates in late April, has a 7.71 ERA in three appearances with the club.
“He’s resumed all baseball activities,” Tomczyk said. “He’s playing catch. He threw a bullpen yesterday. We’re monitoring how he’s recovering out of that. He is still under the care of our local physicians here in Pittsburgh. He has some upcoming appointments in the coming days and into early next week, but he is trending in a rather positive way to return.”
• In minor-league news, Triple-A shortstop Mitch Jebb, who underwent surgery on a fractured left thumb in late April, is anticipated to be able to resume some baseball activities in about 10 weeks.
• Left-handed pitcher Anthony Solometo underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder in a continuation of issues which cost him the majority of the 2025 campaign.
Solometo, who had once risen to the Pirates’ No. 4 overall prospect, first reached Double-A Altoona in 2023, but has not managed to progress further in the minors since, as a result of injuries and performance woes.
