24 Chris Archer SP

Archer (thumb) won't return from the injured list when first eligible Monday, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

Archer played catch Saturday and will do the same Sunday, with a bullpen session scheduled for Tuesday. He'll also need a simulated game before being activated, so he'll be out more than just a day or two past the minimum.

Archer (thumb) will play catch Friday for the first time since landing on the 10-day injured list, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Archer was placed on the injured list with right thumb inflammation Saturday. He expects his absence to be a brief one, though the Pirates will see how the thumb responds to throwing before setting a target return date.

Archer (thumb) has yet to resume throwing but is expected to throw within the next few days, John Perrotto of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

Archer hit the 10-day injured list with right thumb inflammation Saturday after a particularly poor outing against the Dodgers the day before. He's eligible to return Tuesday, and his absence is expected to be brief, but a precise return date won't become clear until he's seen how his thumb responds to throwing.

Archer's stay on the 10-day injured list due to right thumb inflammation isn't expected to last much longer than the minimum 10 days, John Perrotto of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

Archer was examined by a hand specialist Saturday, who confirmed that the issue isn't a particularly serious one. He'll resume throwing within a few days and could wind up missing just one start. The Pirates won't need a spot starter, as they have three off days in the next 10 days.

Archer was placed on the 10-day injured list with right thumb inflammation Saturday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

It's possible the thumb problem explains Archer's poor start against the Dodgers on Friday, when he allowed six runs in just four innings of work. He'll be eligible to return May 7 against the Rangers after missing just a single start, though it's not yet clear how much time he's expected to miss. The Pirates have three off days in the next 10 days, so they won't need a fifth starter for now. Michael Feliz was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to take Archer's place on the roster.