The first trickle of reinforcements arrived Thursday.
Left-handed pitcher Brian Burres led the charge, joining the Pirates from Class AAA Indianapolis on the day rosters expanded to 40 players.
Manager Clint Hurdle said Burres likely will start the game today against the Cubs in Chicago instead of Jeff Karstens, who will skip a start to allow his right shoulder more time to recover.
"I've had plenty of rest, so I'm ready to go whenever they need me," Burres said.
Burres appeared in 20 games and started 13 of them for the Pirates in 2010. He went 4-5 with a 4.99 ERA in 791/3 innings.
In 25 appearances, 23 of them starts, with Indianapolis this year, he went 5-9 with a 4.66 ERA.
"I've been feeling really well about how I've been throwing the ball the last couple weeks," he said. "It should be fine."
Burres, signed as a minor league free agent in December 2009, allowed three or fewer earned runs in three of his past four outings for Indianapolis.
? The Pirates made up their fifth game in the past 11 days. They arrived home from Houston after 3 a.m. Thursday, played the Dodgers in late afternoon and left for Chicago Thursday night.
Left-handed pitcher Brian Burres led the charge, joining the Pirates from Class AAA Indianapolis on the day rosters expanded to 40 players.
Manager Clint Hurdle said Burres likely will start the game today against the Cubs in Chicago instead of Jeff Karstens, who will skip a start to allow his right shoulder more time to recover.
"I've had plenty of rest, so I'm ready to go whenever they need me," Burres said.
Burres appeared in 20 games and started 13 of them for the Pirates in 2010. He went 4-5 with a 4.99 ERA in 791/3 innings.
In 25 appearances, 23 of them starts, with Indianapolis this year, he went 5-9 with a 4.66 ERA.
"I've been feeling really well about how I've been throwing the ball the last couple weeks," he said. "It should be fine."
Burres, signed as a minor league free agent in December 2009, allowed three or fewer earned runs in three of his past four outings for Indianapolis.
? The Pirates made up their fifth game in the past 11 days. They arrived home from Houston after 3 a.m. Thursday, played the Dodgers in late afternoon and left for Chicago Thursday night.
