Pirates fans have every reason to be excited about Konnor Griffin. They just don’t have a case that he was robbed of National League Rookie of the Year recognition.
That’s the part some people seem eager to skip past. Griffin is a special young player, maybe the most exciting position player Pittsburgh has developed in years, and his ceiling is exactly why fans are already dreaming big.
But Rookie of the Year is about what happened in 2026, not what might happen down the road. On that front, Sal Stewart had the stronger season.
The numbers that have fueled the complaint are close, but close isn’t the same as decisive. Griffin finished with 2.1 bWAR, just ahead of Stewart’s 2.0.
That gap is tiny enough that it shouldn’t be treated like proof the award was stolen. WAR is useful, but it’s not a final verdict.
It blends positional value, defense and other factors, which helps explain why Griffin, a premium defensive shortstop, could land near Stewart’s value even while playing far fewer games.
And that playing-time difference matters a lot.
Griffin appeared in 80 games for Pittsburgh in 2026 and hit .272/.324/.404 with six home runs, 33 RBI and 23 stolen bases. Injuries, including a torn tendon in his left ring finger, kept him from putting together a full rookie year.
Stewart, meanwhile, played all 162 games for Cincinnati and posted .263/.330/.457 with 32 home runs and 112 RBI. He became the first rookie in Reds franchise history to hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs.
He also made the All-Star team and led all National League rookies in home runs, RBI, extra-base hits and total bases.
That’s a pretty clear résumé.
There’s also the ballot itself, and it doesn’t support the idea that Griffin was somehow overlooked. He didn’t get a single top-five vote in the final balloting.
Stewart picked up 20 first-place votes and was the only National League rookie to appear on every ballot. That’s not the profile of a player who was shockingly left out of the conversation.
None of this is meant to diminish Griffin. If anything, his rookie season still gave Pirates fans plenty to like.
He debuted in the majors at 19, showed he can handle the highest level and flashed the kind of athleticism and upside Pittsburgh badly needs. If he had stayed healthy, he absolutely could have made a real push for the award.
He was already in the Rookie of the Year discussion before injuries changed the shape of his season.
But that’s the point: the award goes to what a player actually did, not what he might have done with a different health report.
There’s a separate debate to be had about whether Stewart was the most complete rookie in the class. His defense leaves room for criticism, and there’s a legitimate argument that Carson Benge or JJ Wetherholt deserved the honor instead. But that’s not the same as saying Griffin was robbed of finalist status.
Pirates fans can still feel great about Griffin without turning this into a grievance. He’s the kind of talent worth building around, and his future looks enormous.
Stewart had the better 2026 season. Both things can be true.
In Other News...
Pirates Are Suddenly Linked To An Awkward Reunion Trade
The Pirates and Blue Jays have already crossed paths once in a deal that sent prospect Charles McAdoo to Toronto for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and the aftermath has only made the connection feel stranger. McAdoo has since reached the majors and looked encouraging in his first big-league action, while Kiner-Falefas time in Pittsburgh ended with Toronto claiming him off waivers, a tidy little loop that has kept both clubs tied together in an unexpected way.
Now there is at least some speculation that Pittsburgh could revisit the same trade lane and try to bring McAdoo back into the organization. Any such move would come with a cost, of course, and the Pirates would have to weigh whether parting with a controllable arm is worth reuniting with a player they once gave up in the first place, which is exactly the kind of awkward front-office second act that can linger around a team long after the original deal is done. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Just Got An Intriguing Option For Their Catching Problem
The Pirates catching picture already has enough uncertainty to keep the front office looking for outside help, and Gary Snchez suddenly becomes one of the more interesting names to watch. Milwaukee declined his mutual option, putting the veteran catcher on the market and giving Pittsburgh a potential fit at a position where injuries and offensive struggles have left the group short on certainty.
Snchez has long carried appeal because of his bat, especially against left-handed pitching, and that kind of offensive upside can be hard to find behind the plate. Nothing has been reported officially between him and the Pirates, but the connection makes sense on paper as Pittsburgh weighs whether to add a proven hitter to a catching mix that could use a boost. [Read more 🡒]
Jhostynxon Garcia Is Running Out Of Time With The Pirates
Jhostynxon Garcia arrived in Pittsburgh last December with the kind of upside that can make a trade feel worthwhile long before the player has settled in. Since then, though, injuries and uneven production have made it hard for him to build any momentum, and his first full look with the Pirates never really got off the ground.
The outfield picture is tighter now than it was when Garcia was acquired, which only raises the pressure on what comes next. He is headed into a critical offseason with his standing very much in question, and the Pirates will be watching closely to see whether he can turn a frustrating year into a convincing case for a role. [Read more 🡒]