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The Pittsburgh Pirates placed starting pitcher Gerrit Cole on the 15-day disabled list on June 14 due to a triceps injury. However, he has been cleared to return.

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Cole Active vs. Nationals

Saturday, July 16

The Pirates announced Cole will start against the Washington Nationals on Saturday at Nationals Park. Pittsburgh added that it optioned first baseman Josh Bell to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians as a corresponding move.

Pirates Need Cole Healthy in the Rotation

The 25-year-old right-hander emerged as one of the top pitchers in the National League in 2015. He posted a 2.60 ERA and struck out 202 batters in 208 innings as part of his breakout campaign. So it's no surprise Pittsburgh's hopes this season are heavily dependent on him.

On the injury front, Cole was limited to 22 starts in 2014 due to shoulder and lat issues. He bounced back last season as he made 32 appearances for the Pirates. This year, he dealt with a rib cage problem during spring training but returned for the second series of the regular season.