Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Alex Presley hasn't let a little nerve damage stop him from having a breakthrough season for the Pirates.

The 25-year-old Presley is batting .314 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 33 games and has impressed manager Clint Hurdle so much he's been elevated to leadoff.

Not bad for a player whose promising season appeared to be in jeopardy after injuring his thumb against the Cardinals in late July. He spent nearly a month on the disabled list and the acknowledges he probably won't be fully recovered until the offseason.

The Pirates, who open a three-game series with Florida on Friday, are 17-17 in games Presley has played in and Hurdle says his presence in the outfield makes his club one of the better defensive teams in baseball.