The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Francisco Cervelli said Sunday that he is done catching after suffering his sixth documented concussion in the major leagues.
“That’s enough,” Cervelli told DKPittsburghSports.com. “This time is different. I can’t live like this.”
He hasn’t played since suffering his latest concussion after taking a broken bat to the chin against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 25.
Cervelli, 33, told the website that his decision isn’t being pushed by the team.
“I’m ready to do anything,” he told the website. “Wherever I am in the field, I’m still catching the ball, right?”
He has been getting work at third base and other infield positions after being cleared to resume baseball activity.
Pirates general manager Neal Huntington told reporters at PNC Park on Sunday that the team needs “to be cognizant that there may be a position switch at hand.”
“We have to be open to the fact that maybe third base or first base or right field or a bat off the bench or maybe he becomes a regular somewhere at each of those (positions),” Huntington said.
He added, however, that he was not ready to make a public statement that Cervelli was done catching for the team.
Cervelli, in his 12th major league season, has started 10 games at first base during his career and appeared in 13 games at the position in all. He also has played at third base (four games) and at second (two games) in the majors. He has started 613 games at catcher during his career.
A career .269 hitter, Cervelli is hitting just .193 with a home run and five RBIs in 34 games this season.
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