Pirates rookie Griffin eyes Friday return from IL

The Pirates rookie shortstop said Thursday that he feels good and is hopeful of being activated off the 60-day injured list on Friday when Pittsburgh opens a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.

The 20-year-old Griffin hasn't played since early July due to an issue with the knuckle on the ring finger of his left hand. Griffin wore a splint for about six weeks and has played a handful of games while on a rehab assignment.

"It's been driving me nuts watching the games on my phone," said Griffin, who signed a massive contract extension in April shortly after making his debut. "It'll be fun to finally be back in there competing."

The Pirates have fallen off the pace in the National League playoff race in Griffin's absence. Pittsburgh entered Thursday's game against San Francisco 5 1/2 games back of the final wild card spot.

Pittsburgh remains intent on having Griffin return this season. The team says the risk of re-injury is small and it's important to get him more experience during the nascent stage of his career.

Griffin has been electric at times. He's hitting .276 with five homers, 25 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 59 games during a season that's been disrupted by multiple trips to the injured list.

"It's just cool to see how my body has been able to overcome these injuries," he said. "I feel like it's a good sign for me. I'm pumped to be back here."

Perhaps most importantly, Griffin is pain-free.

"I did some grip strength testing," he said. "Those numbers were actually a lot higher than they should have been, which was a good sign for me. That gave me a lot of confidence, squeezing a bat, squeezing a glove wasn't gonna be an issue."