Cervelli (chest) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Dodgers.

EDGE Analysis

Cervelli will sit for the third straight day since suffering the upper chest bruise in Tuesday's game against the Rockies, though there's no guarantee he'd be in the lineup even if healthy. The 33-year-old has played in only nine games since the start of May and has a .583 OPS. Elias Diaz will start behind the plate for the Pirates and bat seventh.

Cervelli (chest) is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cervelli will be on the bench for the second straight day while battling a chest contusion, but the veteran might find himself out of the lineup even if health wasn't a factor. He's hitting just .185 on the season and seems to have surrendered top catching duties to Elias Diaz.

Cervelli (upper chest contusion) is not in Wednesday's lineup against the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

He was evaluated Wednesday in hopes of him being able to return to action after exiting Tuesday's game, but he will need at least one day off. Elias Diaz will start behind the dish and hit seventh.

Cervelli was pulled from Tuesday's game against the Rockies with an apparent neck/chest injury, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cervelli was removed for the top of the sixth inning after being hit by a foul ball in the throat during the previous frame. The 33-year-old did hit a single after struck, but he didn't retake the field defensively. According to Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic, Cervelli made a precautionary exit due to a upper-chest contusion. Elias Diaz has taken over behind the plate for the Pirates.

Cervelli is starting behind the plate and batting seventh Tuesday against Colorado.

EDGE Analysis

Cervelli sat for four straight games, seemingly as a result of underperformance rather than injury. It remains to be seen whether Tuesday's game is the start of him reclaiming his starting role or if his .179/.269/.236 season slash line will keep him on the bench behind Elias Diaz on a regular basis.

Cervelli is expected to return to the starting lineup when the team returns to Pittsburgh on Tuesday, general manager Neal Huntington told 93.7 The Fan on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

The catcher hasn't played in any of the last four games. "We anticipate Cervy being back in the process as we return off the road," Huntington noted. Elias Diaz has gone 8-for-16 in over the four-game stretch and figures to see an increase in playing time until Cervelli regains his hitting stroke.

Cervelli is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Cervelli has not made an appearance over the last three games in San Diego despite not having an officially designated injury. He was hit by a bat on the back of his glove hand Wednesday, but his .505 OPS for the season may also be playing a part in the time off. Elias Diaz has excelled with a .316 average over the last week and will grab another start behind the plate Sunday.

Cervelli sat out his third straight game Saturday in San Diego.

EDGE Analysis

Although the team hasn't mentioned any health issues with the backstop, he took a swinging bat to the back of his glove hand while catching Wednesday and hasn't played since. Cervelli sports a 9:31 BB:K and his .243 BABIP is nearly 100 points below his career average of .327. He's struggled across the board offensively and the rest figures to help him physically recover. Backup Elias Diaz has played well over the last three games, giving Pittsburgh the opportunity to unplug Cervelli for several days.

Cervelli finds himself on the bench for the third straight game Saturday against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

It's possible Cervelli is dealing with an unreported injury, as it's odd to see him sit three games in a row. It's also possible that his absence is performance-related, a seemingly justified move as he's started the season hitting .179/.269/.236. Elias Diaz starts again behind the plate.

Cervelli isn't starting Friday's game against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Cervelli will take a seat for the second straight day, allowing for Elias Diaz to nab another start behind the dish. Diaz is batting sixth in Cervelli's absence.