Scahill sent to Florida for rehab; injury updates

MINNEAPOLIS -- Rob Scahill traveled to the Pirates’ facility in Bradenton, Fla., to begin his formal rehab for the forearm tightness that sent him to the disabled list.

Scahill will throw a couple of bullpen sessions, then pitch in a simulated game Monday. He is scheduled to begin his rehab assignment Aug. 6 with Class A Bradenton, going two innings or 35 pitches.

***Gorkys Hernandez is eligible to come off the DL today, but he is still on his rehab assignment with Class AAA Indianapolis. Clint Hurdle spoke with Indy manager Dean Treanor Monday and will do so again Wednesday to determine what they’ll do with Hernandez. 

***Pirates prospects will play for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League this year, along with players from the White Sox, Astros, Dodgers and Phillies systems. Class AA Altoona pitching coach Justin Meccage will be a Glendale pitching coach and Drew Scott will serve as an athletic trainer. Fun fact: Rod Barajas will manage the Peoria Javelinas.

***Gregory Polanco since the final game of the Cardinals series before the break: .326/.367/.522, seven extra-base hits.

“I know it was tough at some times because there's a lot of external noise and he wanted to do well and he wasn't,” Hurdle said. “He probably had some anxiety. He's played through that and he played his best baseball, for me, that he's ever played in a Pirate uniform. We can finally stop talking about the first two weeks up. This is much better than that.”

Polanco has said a shorter swing helped his improvement.

“It's the only way he'll have offensive success,” Hurdle said. “The more length to the swing, the more problematic it is for him. It's very difficult for him to maintain and catch up to plus velocity [with a long swing], and we've got a whole game full of plus velocity now, 95 and higher. And then you get exposed with the breaking balls down, whether it be curveballs, sliders back foot, there's just too much going on. Those long levers he's got, it's really not going to work. We've seen some periods of time when it just wasn't working.”

***Hurdle on Twins DH Miguel Sano: “A lot to like. Powerful man, good swing. They talk about plate discipline. One of the names that got my attention was one of the guys dropped a Frank Thomas [comp] on him. That's impressive company. Just to paint a picture, big man with some plate discipline and power.”

***Scouting report on Mike Pelfrey: He throws a two-seamer 45 percent of the time and a four-seamer 28 percent of the time, both about 93 mph. ... Throws a slider at 85 mph, 12 percent of the time, and a splitter at 85 mph, 9 percent of the time. ... Slider usage increases to 18.5 percent against righties, only 6 percent vs. lefties. ... Has failed to complete more than four innings in three of his past seven outings, but pitched six innings and 72/3 innings in his previous two. ... Allowed a .338 batting average against in his past three starts.