Arm on the way

Relief pitcher Sam Howard is almost back to full health after injury.

Needing a boost by whatever means possible, the Pirates bullpen got some good news on Wednesday when Sam Howard threw live batting practice before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.

Howard, who has not pitched since July 9 because of a right oblique strain, got through the session fine and should be ramping up his intensity in the coming days.

“He looked good,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “He looked healthy, which was important. There was some shape to his breaking ball. I don’t know what the velocity on his fastball was, but it looked like he commanded it. Was pretty efficient in terms of throwing strikes. So, overall, good first step.”

It might seem silly to celebrate the return of someone carrying around a 5.76 ERA, but there are some asterisks required here.

One, eight of the 19 earned runs Howard has allowed this season have come during a pair of disastrous performances. Both were followed by injury announcements. In his other 36 appearances, Howard has allowed a total of eight earned runs in 28 2/3 innings (2.51 ERA).

Pittsburgh’s bullpen also needs all the help it can get right now, so any addition would be a good one.

Since June 6, the Pirates bullpen has the worst ERA in the National League at 5.64 and leads all teams in walks per nine at 5.24.

A left-hander who was one of the Pirates’ best stories earlier this season, Howard has struck out 41 and walked 22 in 29 2/3 innings of work. As the Pirates look to formulate plans for next season and beyond, he and David Bednar represent two guys who’ve performed well enough to be considered likely parts of the future.

No Curve(s) here

At the minor league level, two of the Pirates’ top prospects have been making progress at Class AA Altoona. Oneil Cruz and Roansy Contreras have been sidelined by right forearm injuries but are inching closer to returns, Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said.

Cruz has resumed hitting and has been taking full swings in the cage. The goal for him is to take batting practice outside with a coach pitching by the end of the week.

Contreras threw a side session and is expected to throw off the mound this week as well.

“We’re encouraged by both of their directions,” Tomczyk said. Cruz is the Pirates’ toprated prospect according to Baseball America’s midseason update. Contreras comes in at No. 6.

Yahoo for Yajure

The plan is for starting pitcher Miguel Yajure to return and be available to make starts in the major leagues this year, Tomczyk reiterated.

Yajure, who has been dealing with right elbow/ forearm discomfort since late May, made his first rehab start last Friday and went 1 2/3 innings by design.

Tomczyk said Yajure would make a second rehab start “in the next couple of days,” and the Pirates envision Yajure reaching Class AAA “in the next seven to 10 days.”

“From a health and performance perspective, he is beginning his game progressions and responded well to the first one and his first couple sides,” Tomczyk said. “We’re very encouraged.”

Fast healer

Ben Gamel will be eligible to come off the 10-day injured list on Sunday. It doesn’t sound like it’ll be too much longer before he rejoins the Pirates lineup.

The outfielder ran Wednesday afternoon and also took swings during Howard’s live BP. Tomczyk said Gamel has responded well to treatment before adding, “We’re optimistic that he will be at least a consideration to have conversations with the medical staff to come off (the IL) some time next week.”

This would seem to be a positive development, as assistant general manager Kevan Graves said on 93.7 The Fan Sunday that the Pirates expected Gamel to miss more than the minimum amount of time.

No Pirates player has been worth more than Gamel’s 1.2 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs, since the start of July.

Drink the water

While things have certainly been bleak in Pittsburgh, it hasn’t been that way with Class AAA Indianapolis.

With a walkoff victory Tuesday that was sealed when Michael Chavis hit a two-run homer, the Indians have won a season-high five in a row.

They were hitting .310 during that time (before Wednesday’s game) with 16 home runs and a 1.043 OPS.

Chavis, meanwhile, was hitting .417 with three home runs, a .958 slugging percentage and 1.476 OPS in six games since coming over in a trade with the Red Sox.

“Yeah, that’s really exciting,” Shelton said. “If there is something in the water, we’re going to bottle it and get it shipped here.”