Pirates OF Polanco out 7-9 months after shoulder surgery

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco could be out until next June after having surgery on his left shoulder.

The Pirates made the announcement on Friday, which was Polanco's 27th birthday.

Polanco leads the Pirates with a career-high 23 home runs, 81 RBIs and 61 extra-base hits. He batted .254 this season.

Polanco dislocated his throwing shoulder on an awkward slide into second base on a double last Friday against Miami. He had surgery Wednesday to repair the labrum and stabilize his shoulder, and the Pirates said it is projected to take seven to nine months for a return to action.

"He'll have the support of his family, he'll have the support of the organization, he'll have the support of a lot of people," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said before the game in Milwaukee.

"He's a man that's always been self-motivated, focused. Now is the healing, the rehab, and the strengthening and then the getting ready to play, whenever that is. We'll look forward to that," he said.

With Polanco out of the lineup, four players will be vying for time in right field, Hurdle said.

Adam Frazier, Jordan Luplow, Pablo Reyes and rookie Kevin Kramer, who was called up Sept. 4, likely will share right field duties for the remainder of the season, Hurdle said.

"It's going to be a daily decision on who we want to play second base and do we want to move Kramer to third base," Hurdle said. "We did that the other day."

Luplow got the start in right on Friday night against the Brewers.

The Pirates also said pitcher Chad Kuhl, on the disabled list since June with forearm and elbow tightness, is scheduled to re-examined after being unable to throw his scheduled side session earlier this week.