The Pirates placed catcher Francisco Cervelli on the seven-day concussion disabled list on Saturday, according to a team announcement. In a corresponding move, catcher Jacob Stallings was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to participate in Saturday’s doubleheader against the Brewers.
While Cervelli was officially reinstated from the concussion DL on July 8, he’s been limited to just four starts behind the plate and batted an underwhelming .071/.235/.143 in five total outings. The Pirates have yet to specify the severity of his condition -- MLB.com’s Adam Berry notes that the veteran catcher had reported recurring concussion symptoms last month, but exactly what triggered the move this week is still unclear -- but it seems likely that he could take the field again after the All-Star break, assuming everything goes smoothly during his recovery. Through 60 games this season, he carries a .243/.379/.460 batting line, nine home runs and an .839 OPS in 235 PA.
Stallings, meanwhile, is gearing up for his third stint with the Pirates in 2018. The 28-year-old backstop has looked halfway decent in Triple-A over the first half of the season, slashing .293/.337/.401 with 16 extra-base hits and a .738 OPS, but has yet to make his mark in the majors after going 1-for-7 with a base hit.
