Pirates injury news: Termarr Johnson shelved with hamstring ailment

In his first injury report of 2023, Pittsburgh Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk delivered some bad news regarding last year’s first round draft pick Termarr Johnson.

Tomczyk said Johnson, whom the team selected fourth overall in last year’s MLB Draft, will be out of action for 10 to 14 days as he deals with a right hamstring injury. The 18-year-old left practice early on Tuesday and the Pirates will reassess his injury after that timetable to determine his next steps, according to Kevin Gorman of TribLive.

Johnson is the youngest player in the team’s big league camp.

Tomczyk also delivered remarks regarding several veteran arms.

Reliver Robert Stephenson is dealing with minor discomfort in his right elbow. He is participating in a modified throwing program that has him throwing between 105 and 110 feet.

The Pirates claimed Stephenson off waivers from the Colorado Rockies toward the end of last season. He posted a 3.38 ERA in 13 games with the Pirates.

Max Kranick is throwing from 60 to 75 feet, four to five days a week as he recovers from Tommy John surgery last year. The 25-year-old appeared in just two games with Pittsburgh last season, picking up four strikeouts over five innings.

Reliever Blake Cederlind is a “full go,” according to Tomczyk, as he recovers from another surgery on his right elbow. Cederlind tore the UCL in his right elbow in 2021 and had surgery to repair it last season.

The hard-throwing reliever appeared in just five games with the Pirates during the truncated 2020 season.

Cederlind has a long road to get back into the Pirates’ bullpen, but a strong — and healthy — spring could place him back in the running for a middle relief role.