Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang was named the National League’s Rookie of the Month for July.
The award is the first monthly honor of Kang’s brief career and comes after he hit .379 and posted a .443 on-base percentage with a trio of homers and nine RBIs last month. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no Pirates rookie ever has ever hit for a higher batting average and had as many extra-base hits (13) in one calendar month since Paul Waner in September 1926.
Altoona lefty Steven Brault is the Eastern League pitcher of the week after allowing two earned runs in 12 innings in a pair of wins for the Bucs’ Double-A farm team. For good measure, Brault picked up his first two professional hits with a pair of RBI singles in last Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Richmond. He was acquired from Baltimore in the deal involving Travis Snider.
Right-hander A.J. Burnett was diagnosed on Monday with a flexor strain in his right elbow, and the veteran pitcher also received an injection of platelet-rich plasma to abet the recovery he hopes will have him back on a mound.
Estimated time of Burnett’s return was set at approximately four weeks.
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