Niese was sent back to Pittsburgh to have his knee examined Tuesday, but he is still expected to start Saturday against the Cubs, the Pittsburgh Tribune's Rob Biertempfel reports.

EDGE Analysis

This is the first that any issue with his knee has come to light this year but supposedly it's not a serious issue, as the team does not anticipate him missing any time. Of course, that could change if the knee exam reveals a notable injury. Niese has a 4.87 ERA and 1.52 WHIP and his 15.6 percent K-rate ranks ninth worst in baseball among qualified starters.