The Pirates have shut down Jeff Karstens again, this time perhaps for good.

The team announced Sunday that Karstens will skip his start today because of right shoulder discomfort and general arm fatigue. Given that only 26 games remain, that makes a return unlikely, though general manager Neal Huntington stressed that the team has not ruled that out.

"We pulled him from this start" Huntington said. "If Jeff can finish the year on the mound, that's obviously a better place to finish it."

Brian Burres will start today against the Atlanta Braves, and Brad Lincoln might take Karstens' starts thereafter.

That, too, is uncertain: Lincoln is pitching today in Class AAA Indianapolis' finale, but he is recovering from a stiff neck and was limited to two innings last week in his return from the minor-league disabled list. Lincoln will need to show he is healthy for the Pirates to determine if he will start, pitch out of the bullpen, or even be recalled.

Karstens skipped a turn two starts ago with shoulder discomfort but returned Tuesday to pitch well in Chicago, allowing two runs and four hits and striking out six over six innings. But a bullpen session Saturday brought more discomfort.

"It felt amazing in Chicago," Karstens said of the arm. "It just wasn't able to bounce back."

Karstens is 3-10 with a 4.88 ERA in 25 appearances, including 19 starts.

Pitcher Joe Martinez was recalled from Indianapolis and pitched three innings of relief Sunday, allowing two unearned runs. The bullpen, manager John Russell said, is where Martinez will stay, though he also has done some starting.

Martinez, 27, made seven appearances, including four starts, for Indianapolis and had a 5.72 ERA and a .365 opponents' batting average.

Huntington said the rest of the recalls will be made tonight or Tuesday and that there might be more than originally expected because of injuries to Karstens, pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and first baseman Jeff Clement.

One decision he acknowledged as challenging is whether to recall outfielder Brandon Moss.

Moss, 27, was part of the Jason Bay trade and struggled with the Piartes, but a change in his swing resulted in his being Indianapolis' team MVP with 22 home runs and 96 RBIs. The issues, as Huntington described, are that Moss would have to be added to the 40-man roster in an offseason where there will be several prospects to protect in the Rule 5 draft, that the Pirates already are trying several players in right field, that Moss will be out of options next spring and would need to make the 25-man roster and that Moss could -- and likely will -- leave through minor-league free agency if he is not added to the 40-man.

"Brandon is the one, emotionally, that you'd love to bring to the big leagues," Huntington said. "But you take a step back and ask how does he fit short-term, long-term, how can he show us what he's done ... there are arguments on both sides."

• Other candidates for promotion are reliever Justin Thomas, catcher Jason Jaramillo and shortstop Pedro Ciriaco. Huntington also has made mention of outfielder Alex Presley, but he, like Moss, is not on the 40-man roster.

• Burres was chosen ahead of Daniel McCutchen for the start today, Huntington said, because the team wants to see if McCutchen can continue his mostly good relief work of late.

• Class A Bradenton will open playoffs Tuesday against Charlotte, Class AA Altoona Wednesday against Bowie or Harrisburg.

Colin Dunlap's blog on the Pirates is featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.