Jordy Mercer has a sprained MCL and lower-leg bruise, according to Pirates. He's out six weeks. Will avoid surgery
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) July 20, 2015
Let’s play Good News Bad News on this one: Mercer’s season isn’t necessarily over, which it certainly looked like it might’ve been. No surgery also means that he will, at the very least, be good to go by the time next season starts. Six weeks from now, though, is into September, at which point there is no opportunity for Mercer to rehab his knee. Also, it is in September, whereas in the real world July hasn’t ended and the Pirates need to find a way to win baseball games without their starting third baseman and shortstop between now and then.
He’ll be replaced on the roster for Brent Morel. I have no great affinity for Morel, but it’s hard to make an argument that he’s a worse short-term solution than Pedro Florimon or Alen Hanson. The Pirates now clearly have a problem on their hands, and they’re going to have to do something to address it. Given the schedule, they will hopefully do so well before the trade deadline.
