Rookie RF Esmerlyn Valdez gives Pirates a heart-stopping moment after being hit by pitch - TribLIVE.com

Esmerlyn Valdez has delivered his share of heart-stopping moments for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the majority of them on epic home runs that has made the rookie right fielder an instant star. This one was different. It was breathtaking only in the sense that it elicited gasps when he was hit on the left hand/wrist by a pitch in the fourth inning Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park. At first glance, it appeared that Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly’s 1-1 fastball hit Valdez on the body armor on his left forearm, but his reaction told another story. The 22-year-old doubled over and dropped his bat, wincing in pain and gritting his teeth as Pirates assistant athletic trainer Joel Harris applied pressure on the hand and wrist. “I know that there was some thought that it might have hit higher,” Piratses manager Don Kelly said, “but it seemed like it grazed that, ricocheted down and hit him pretty good in the wrist area.” Valdez was removed from the game and treated by the team’s medical staff. The Pirates didn’t provide any updates on his condition after the game, but he is expected to undergo more imaging tests Tuesday. “We’re all praying for him. We hope for the best,” said Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe, who delivered the game-winning hit for a 3-2 walk-off win in the 10th inning. “I’m not sure what’s come out or anything else. We saw him earlier and we won so he was in good spirits. I know it’s an uncertain time for him. We’re praying he gets the best news possible.” Valdez is batting .290/.386/.702 with seven doubles, a triple, 14 home runs and 36 RBIs in 38 games this season, and his emergence helped offset the injuries that sidelined center fielder Oneil Cruz, shortstop Konnor Griffin and first baseman Spencer Horwitz. Since replacing Horwitz in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 24, Valdez was batting .344 with a 1.241 OPS entering Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks. “The kid’s got, what, 30, 40 games under his belt and he’s sitting around 1.000 OPS. That in and of itself is incredible,” Lowe said. “He’s been playing a great right field, and it’s not just the home runs. He’s taking really mature at-bats. He’s been fantastic for us.” When Horwitz was injured, Ryan O’Hearn moved to first base and Valdez was inserted in right field. If Valdez requires a stint on the injured list, it could coincide with Horwitz (hamstring) returning from the IL and allow O’Hearn to return to right. Either way, the Pirates’ depth will be tested by injuries once again as they fight for a National League wild-card spot and the MLB trade deadline approaches on Aug. 3. “It’s tough because you hate to see injuries,” Kelly said. “Every team deals with them, and I think that the way that our club has dealt with them has been off the charts because it has been that next man up, find a way. It hasn’t been perfect, but continue to compete every single day. “This was a huge game. That was a playoff atmosphere there, and the guys know it, and they competed like it. Dealing with the injuries — and we have had a lot of guys, especially from the offensive side … but you just got to keep going and keep having that mindset of next man up, and somebody’s going to find a way.” Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com. Daily and weekly updates delivered straight to your inbox. Get news alerts first, right in your browser. Daily and weekly updates delivered straight to your inbox. Support our journalism and get an ad-free experience on all your devices.