39 Chad Kuhl SP

Kuhl (forearm) played catch from around 50 feet prior to Saturday's game against the Cubs, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Kuhl has now thrown on back-to-back days, which is good news for Pittsburgh. He's been on the disabled list with a forearm strain since June 29, and although the timetable for his return is still a bit murky, the Pirates are optimistic he could return prior to the conclusion of the 2018 campaign. The next step for Kuhl figures to be throwing off a mound.

Kuhl (forearm) will begin a throwing program during the Pirates' upcoming homestand, which begins Monday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

Kuhl hit the disabled list in late June with a forearm strain and has remained shut down since then. The club believes he'll be able to get back up to speed in time to throw meaningful innings in September, but he'll have to progress smoothly without any setbacks for that to be a possibility.

Kuhl (forearm) was moved to the 60-day disabled list Tuesday.

Since Kuhl landed on the DL in late June, this move guarantees that he will remain sidelined until the end of August, as previously expected. The right-hander has yet to resume throwing after being shut down for four weeks starting July 11. That timeline indicates that he should be able to start a throwing progression next week so long as there is no lingering discomfort in his forearm. This move clears up a 40-man roster spot for Chris Archer.

Kuhl's second opinion on his right forearm/elbow confirmed the team's initial diagnosis and he will be shut down for at least four more weeks, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.

If all goes according to plan, Kuhl will start a throwing program following the four-week mark, though this likely implies that he'll be sidelined through the end of August since he'll require at least a few weeks to build his arm back up. Kuhl was initially placed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right forearm in late June after exiting a start against the Mets. Look for an update on his status near the end of the month.

Kuhl (forearm) will receive a second opinion on his strained right forearm, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Kuhl was diagnosed with the forearm strain earlier this week and was said to not require surgery, but will nonetheless seek an additional opinion while still indicating it's a precautionary move. The 25-year-old is currently eligible to come off the disabled list, but his recovery timeline remains obviously muddled.