Freese, Frazier return after DL stints

PHOENIX — The day after mustering only one hit in a series-opening loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Pirates offense received reinforcements. David Freese and Adam Frazier, the only Pirates players with batting averages better than .300, rejoined the roster Friday after their respective stints on the 10-day disabled list for hamstring strains.

“It’s been a while,” said Frazier, back from a threegame rehabilitation assignment at Class AAA. “Got my feet wet in Indy this past week, got some competing in. I’ve been itching to get back.”

To make room on the roster, the Pirates optioned Max Moroff and Chris Bostick to Indianapolis.

Freese, batting .321 through 18 games, started at third base Friday at Chase Field. He remained with the team throughout his recovery, taking swings in batting practice and off machine pitching in the cages. Manager Clint Hurdle said he asked Freese whether he would like to go on a rehabilitation assignment, and Freese, a nine-year major league veteran, determined it was unnecessary.

“I’m good with it,” Hurdle said. “I’ve seen it both ways. There’s no answer for this. There’s no solution that says if you do this, you’re going to come back and go 10 for 20. It doesn’t work that way. I’ve been doing it for 15 years and watching it. I have no problem with a player of experience working his way back when he feels most confident when he returns.”

Freese focused on conditioning, ensuring his legs stayed engaged, and on his timing.

“Guys go down on rehab stints, come back and go 5 for 10 or 0 for 10,” Freese said. “I think timing’s the big thing. It’s better to be early than late. We’ll see what happens. … I’ve felt good for a few days now, but needed to wear out the legs and make sure I recover well enough to get out there and play consecutive games.”

Frazier had a .306 average after 15 games before he injured his hamstring legging out a triple April 15 in Chicago. He played for another week before being placed on the disabled list.

“Tried to play through it, probably made it a little worse,” Frazier said.

Once that happened, that’s when it kind of hits you you’re going to have to go down for a little bit of time. That’s the first time I’ve ever had to do that. That was tough, just wearing that and feeling that guiltiness.”

The guiltiness, he clarified, was from not being available to help out the team. In the future, Hurdle said, hopefully Frazier will alert the training staff rather than play through an injury.

“It’s a lesson learned and an experienced gained,” he said.

Banged up

Francisco Cervelli was out of the starting lineup Friday after tweaking a balky left knee the previous day. Cervelli first injured the knee Tuesday when the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Chase Utley slid into home plate, making direct contact with Cervelli’s left leg, and was tagged out.

“Cervelli was on one leg [Thursday] night for the last at-bat of the game,” Hurdle said. “I don’t know what kind of at-bat we were going to get out of him. That wasn’t the main reason we ran, but it was part of the reason we ran. … We’ll give him a break and see how he is [Saturday].

Cervelli said he was “just sore” and does not expect to miss more time.

“I’ve been playing,” he said. “You know me. I won’t stop. Let’s see what happens.”