Konnor Griffin’s first year in Pittsburgh came with the kind of lessons that usually take longer to learn.
The Pirates’ 20-year-old shortstop played through a season that was interrupted twice by injuries, limiting him to 80 of a possible 156 games in 2026. That’s just about 51 percent of the schedule, a frustrating total for a player who entered the year as baseball’s top prospect and left it with a nine-year, $140 million contract extension in hand.
Griffin did get to finish on a better note. After missing 22 games from May 31 to June 26 with a right forearm flexor muscle strain, he returned and played well across his next 10 games.
Then another setback hit: a left ring sagittal band injury that kept him out for 51 games from July 7 to Sept. 4.
By the time the season ended Sept. 27, Griffin said the missed time had tested him, but he was encouraged by how he closed.
"I would just say like going on two ILs wasn't easy," Griffin said after the season finale on Sept. 27.
"Missing probably three months or so. I wanted to come back and finish strong, finish the right way, be a part of the fight, and just I'm proud of the way I was able to get out of the hole I was in with the injuries and be able to come back and just keep getting as comfortable as I could.
"I feel like I ended I'm in a good spot. I keep saying I'm hungry for more I know I got a lot more that I can show and bring to this team, and I'm pumped to go keep exploring, figuring out what type of player I'm going to be."
The Pirates finished 82-80, their first winning season since 2018, but still fell short of the postseason after chasing that goal all year. Griffin’s absences were part of that story, and the club would have been better served with him on the field for most of the year.
Still, the rookie says the season gave him a clearer sense of what it takes to stay ready and what Pittsburgh needs from him moving forward. Now he gets time to recover before turning his attention to 2027 and another push toward October.
"i've got a lot. Early games in the year matter a lo We've really got to take care of business off the jump next year.
I think we kind of put ourselves in a hole where we could have been better sitting in the playoff race than we were, trying to just make the last wild card. That's not our standard.
We should shoot to be top in our division.
"And then personally, I keep saying I've got to manage my workload a little better. Early in the year, I was just trying to do as much as I could before the games to be as prepared as I could be. Sometimes, you've got to manage the workload, just get the ground balls I need, not take 200 swings a day, take 30, 40, and then be ready to rock.
"I could go on and on. There's a lot of things I learned, but it's going to be a good offseason going into it with this experience. I'm excited about next year, for sure."
In Other News...
Pirates Are Giving A Familiar Pitcher Another Shot For 2027
The Pirates are taking another look at a familiar arm, bringing back right-hander Jos Urquidy on a minor-league deal and sending him to Triple-A Indianapolis. It is a low-risk move, but one that fits a club always looking to stockpile pitching depth wherever it can find it, especially with an eye on the 2027 season.
Urquidy has already spent time in Pittsburgh after signing a one-year contract with the team before being designated for assignment and dealt to the Chicago White Sox. Now he gets another chance to work his way back into the picture, and for the Pirates the appeal is obvious: a veteran pitcher with prior organizational experience who can help fortify the depth chart if things break the right way. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Fans Sent Ownership A Clear Warning This Offseason
The Pirates 2026 season ended with a message that went beyond the standings. Even after a sluggish start at the gate compared with 2024, Pittsburgh still drew 1,704,229 fans, its second-highest total since 2017, and the crowd grew as the club became more competitive and pushed to an 82-80 finish. A winning season for the first time since 2018 gave the fan base a reason to stay engaged, and the late-season turnout suggested plenty of interest remains when the product on the field gives people something to believe in.
Now the pressure shifts back to ownership, because the attendance bump only strengthens the argument that Pirates fans are willing to show up if the team keeps moving in the right direction. The challenge is making the kind of roster decisions this winter that justify that support and keep momentum from fading once the calendar flips again. The fan base has sent its warning clearly enough: the next step has to be more than incremental. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Prospects Face A Crucial Month With Promotions In Sight
The Pirates are sending eight prospects to the Arizona Fall League starting Oct. 3, giving a handful of their better young players one more chance to show where they stand before the offseason really settles in. It is a useful runway for development as much as evaluation, and for a club that keeps trying to build from within, these extra innings and extra outings can matter just as much as what happened during the regular minor league season.
Among the names to watch are shortstop Wyatt Sanford, catcher Easton Carmichael and pitcher Zander Mueth, three players with different paths but the same basic goal: keep moving up the system. The Fall League will give Pittsburgh a clearer read on how they handle better competition, and for some of them, the month ahead could help determine whether the next step comes sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]