The Pirates kept grinding as injuries piled up. What have we learned from it?

Even when the Pirates finally were able to activate somebody off the injured list, they couldn’t catch a break.

On Friday, Daniel Vogelbach returned after missing eight games because of a strained hamstring. It wasn’t hard to find him a spot on the active roster, though, as Josh VanMeter immediately went on the 10-day IL with a fractured left ring finger.

“It’s no secret that (many) of our experienced position players are on the IL right now,” general manager Ben Cherington said. “We would like all of them to come back as soon as possible.”

Then again, the Pirates have done pretty well lately with makeshift lineups. Last week, they traveled to the West Coast with a handful of significant players on the IL and went 4-2 against the Padres and Dodgers. After Friday night’s 8-6 loss against the Diamondbacks, they are 8-8 over their past 16 games.

“Guys are getting opportunities,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Credit goes to our guys in player development for getting guys ready to play here. That’s not to say there’s not development and things we’re still working on. We just have to continue to develop guys at this level.”

SS Kevin Newman (left groin strain, hamstring injury)

Status: Newman went on the IL on April 27 because of a groin injury, then tweaked a hamstring while on a rehab assignment. He has been participating in fielding drills and has begun a running program, but the Pirates haven’t indicated when he might rejoin the team.

Who it affected: Tucupita Marcano, Diego Castillo, Rodolfo Castro, Cole Tucker and Yu Chang

How it’s played out: Marcano was called up the day Newman got hurt, but it was purely coincidental. Four days later, Marcano was sent back to Double-A Altoona when Tucker came off the COVID-19 IL. (Spoiler alert: Things worked out OK for Marcano a few weeks later.)

Tucker finally had a chance to claim the everyday shortstop job, but failed. He made two starts at short and three starts at second, went 4-for-22 with nine strikeouts and was demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on May 12. Tucker was designated for assignment last week when Chang was acquired from the Guardians.

Castillo started at shortstop in 11 of the first 13 games without Newman. Castro was called up May 12 and has started 16 games at short, with Castillo now playing mostly at second base.

What we’ve learned: Even if he clears waivers and heads back to Indy, Tucker, a first-round pick in 2014, no longer fits in the Pirates’ long-term plans. “We just ran out of time,” Cherington said. “We tried to give Cole as much opportunity as we could at the major-league level, and at some point, you’ve got to give it to other guys if the performance isn’t there.”

Castillo and Castro are versatile and have injected enthusiasm into the lineup. Neither is hitting much, though — Castro is batting .206 with a .589 OPS, and Castillo has a .221 average and a .587 OPS — and that might cost one of them a roster spot when Oneil Cruz is deemed ready for a call-up. Cruz returned to Indy’s lineup Thursday after missing a couple of games with a sore ankle.

“(Cruz) is trending in a good direction,” Cherington said. “Earlier in the year, we were seeing the max exit velo, but not consistent hard contact. He’s showing more consistency lately along with good walk rate and the strikeouts are coming down.”

Something else to keep an eye on: Castro jammed his left thumb during a play at second base Friday, but stayed in the game. “He’s probably going to be a little bit sore, but he’s all right,” Shelton said.

OF Ben Gamel (left hamstring strain), OF Jake Marisnick (left thumb surgery), OF Greg Allen (left hamstring strain)

Status: Allen began the season on the 60-day IL. He is expected to start a rehab assignment within the next few days. Marisnick went on the IL on May 10 and is still a few weeks away from returning to action. Gamel went on the IL on May 29 and will be eligible to come off June 8. He has resumed light baseball activities and next week will begin a running progression.

Who it affected: Jack Suwinski, Cal Mitchell, Castillo, Marcano, Tucker and Hoy Park

How it’s played out: When Allen was injured at the end of spring training, it triggered the Pirates’ annual conga line of a thousand outfielders.

Marisnick, who signed for $1.8 million on Opening Day, had surgery after injuring his left thumb while making a diving catch. That has meant lots more playing time for Suwinski, who was called up from Altoona on April 26 for what was supposed to be a short stay when Bryan Reynolds went on the COVID-19 IL.

Reynolds quickly got over his illness, but Suwinski stuck around and has started in one of the three outfield spots in 18 of the past 22 games.

Park got a brief look in right field in April, but hasn’t hit well enough to stay up in the majors. Ditto for Tucker. The Diego Castillo Outfield Experiment lasted just three games, which was enough for management to realize he ought to remain anchored in the infield. That left the Pirates with the bare minimum of outfield options — Gamel, Reynolds and Suwinski — and led to Mitchell’s promotion on May 24.

Marcano was recalled May 27 and has started the past five games in left field. During last weekend’s three-game sweep of the Dodgers, he went 3-for-11 with two homers and five RBIs.

What we’ve learned: There’s a reason management wants to give Cruz a look as an outfielder. Suwinski had three hits Friday, which raised his batting average to … er, .208. Ouch. Reynolds is scuffling, but continues to draw lots of interest as a potential trade candidate with the Aug. 2 trade deadline less than nine weeks away.

DH/1B Daniel Vogelbach (strained right hamstring), 1B/DH Yoshi Tsutsugo (lumbar muscle strain)

Status: Vogelbach went on the IL on May 24 and was activated Friday. Tsutsugo went on the IL on May 25 and is eligible to return Saturday. Last Wednesday, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told reporters in Los Angeles that Tsutsugo is “improving” but wasn’t doing any baseball activities.

Who it affected: Michael Chavis, Chang

How it’s played out: In six games without Vogelbach and Tsutsugo, the Pirates used Chang (two games), Gamel (two games), Reynolds and Mitchell as the DH. Combined, they went 0-for-21. Although he’s been bothered by left forearm discomfort, Chavis has started five of the past eight games at first base. VanMeter made three starts there.

What we’ve learned: In his return Friday as the DH, Vogelbach singled and walked twice in five plate appearances. He also appeared to move more gingerly than usual on the basepaths. An OK beginning, but maybe he’s not out of the woods yet.

Tsutsugo is batting .177/281/.257 with two home runs, which was probably the result of an injury that he kept quiet about for too long. “We’ve learned he was battling through some soreness for a while,” Cherington said. “He was generally swinging at the right pitches, not chasing, but just not getting the results. The good news is now I think we’ve got our arms around (the injury).”

Mason Martin has slugged 11 home runs at Indianapolis. But instead of calling up Martin to play first base, the Pirates opted to trade for Chang.

“(Chang) is a player we’ve liked in the past,” Cherington said. “Shelty’s going to do his best to get him in there, get him some at-bats and see if we can build him up.”

Chang is 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in two games with the Pirates. Over parts of four seasons in the majors, he’s hit .204/.262/.364. Why is Martin still in the minors? Cherington didn’t specify the reason, but it’s not a lack of effort.

“He’s amongst the hardest workers we have,” Cherington said. “It’s just fine-tuning and getting into a little bit more progress on recognition and contact on certain pitches.”

(Photo of Tucupita Marcano: Kirby Lee / USA Today)