Pirates Bullpen Duo Starting Comeback From Injuries

The Pirates placed Mayza on the 15-day Injured List on April 19 and then transferred him to the 60-day Injured List on April 25.

Tomczyk said back on April 23 that Mayza suffered injuries to his left latissimus dorsi muscle and his teres major muscle, both in the shoulder that make it difficulty to throw. The Pirates also placed him on a no-throw status for the next six weeks, which marked the first week of June.

Lawrence went on the 15-day Injured List, retroactive to April 23, with right elbow inflammation. The Pirates then transferred him from the 15-day Injured List to the 60-day Injured List on May 3.

Tomczyk also said that both pitchers will have to miss two weeks for every week they didn't pitch. Since it's been about seven to eight weeks without throwing, that makes it 14-16 weeks that they have to work on coming back, which means they likely won't come back to the Pirates until the end of the regular season.

“They were down for seven, eight weeks of throwing. For every week down, approximately two weeks back throwing," Tomczyk said. "They have a ways to go in their journey of throwing.”

Mayza made seven appearances out of the bullpen for the Pirates this season, with a 2.89 ERA in 9.1 innings pitched, allowing nine hits, posting eight strikeouts to one walk, with an opposing batting average of .243.

The Pirates signed Mayza on a minor league contract on Jan. 27 and he made the opening day roster out of Spring Training. He spent last season with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Lawrence excelled with the Pirates out of the bullpen so far in 2025, with an 0.79 ERA in 11 appearances and 11.1 innings pitched, allowing just five hits and six walks, while posting 15 strikeouts and an opposing batting average of .139.

The Pirates claimed Lawrence off of Waivers on March 3, after the Colorado Rockies designated him for assignment on March 1. He pitched in six games in spring training, with an 0-2 record and a 7.50 ERA over 6.0 innings of work.

Pittsburgh currently has a bullpen of left-handed pitchers in Ryan Borucki and Caleb Ferguson, plus right-handed pitchers in Braxton Ashcraft, David Bednar, Isaac Mattson, Carmen Mlodzinski, Dennis Santana and Chase Shugart.