Pirates activate SS Jordy Mercer, put 1B Travis Ishikawa on DL

The Pirates have announced that they have activated shortstop Jordy Mercer off the disabled list and placed first baseman Travis Ishikawa on it with a back strain.

Mercer has been out for five weeks with a knee injury. It remains to be seen how often he plays considering the emergence of Jung Ho Kang at that position.

Ishikawa has played sparingly this season with just 12 hits in 59 at-bats over 39 games.