The Pirates have shut down Indianapolis pitching prospect Rudy Owens with "shoulder soreness and fatigue." That means Owens' season is almost certainly over. Hopefully he'll be able to heal over the offseason and this won't become an ongoing problem, or a problem that requires surgery.
↵After breezing through Class AA in 2010, Owens has struggled in 2011, striking out only 71 batters in 112.1 innings while posting a 5.05 ERA. He had appeared to be back on track after he pitched well for most of July, but he got hit hard in his last two starts.
↵At the beginning of the season, he looked like a very good candidate to pitch well if any of the Pirates' starters faltered. But it turned out that Owens himself was the one who faltered, while the members of the Bucs' starting rotation pitched surprisingly well.
↵Assuming he's healthy next year, Owens will likely return to Indianapolis and will try to get back on the prospect track there.
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