Top Pirates prospect and Indianapolis outfielder Starling Marte left Sunday's Class AAA game against the Louisville bats with a hand injury. There haven't been any specific updates on his status, but here's a report from the game.
↵↵↵Marte eventually was able to stand up and walk off, exiting the game. As of the end of the game, there was no further word from the clubhouse as to Marte’s condition. If nothing is broken, there will still be enough bruising and swelling to keep Marte out of the lineup for several days, and if there is a break, that will mean months away from baseball activities.
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That assessment sounds about right. Hand injuries are no joke, in part because, if a player suffers a serious one, it can be awhile before his power comes back. Let's hope Marte hasn't broken anything -- that would be a blow to a farm system that can't really stand another one, with top prospects Josh Bell and Kyle McPherson already suffering significant injuries so far this season.
↵Check out Bucs Dugout's take on the Pirates' minor-league system.