Pirates monitoring Cervelli after relapse of 'acute-on-chronic' condition

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli hasn't appeared in a contest for his club since Monday, and although initial reports suggested he was missing time with flu-like symptoms, it appears the veteran backstop may be dealing with something worse.

After Cervelli underwent "a battery of tests," head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk said the 31-year-old appears to be dealing with a relapse of "acute-on-chronic" condition, reports Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune.

"We're going to make sure he gets seen by the right people, and the right doctors see the right tests," Tomczyk said.

Tomczyk explained the condition is similar to what hampered Cervelli during an early June series against the New York Mets and that it's something he's dealt with since April, although a recent concussion could be affecting him as well.

"However, there are a ton of contributory factors to this," Tomczyk added. "He's been dealing with some type of illness on and off since early in the season, and he sustained a concussion on June 6 in Baltimore. A lot of contributory factors."

Cervelli was activated from the seven-day concussion list on June 14. He's appeared in 51 games, hitting .250/.345/.381 with three home runs and 21 RBIs.