The Pirates are giving Nick Yorke a fresh shot, and the timing is no accident.
With left-handed pitching still a problem area for Pittsburgh, Yorke was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis and inserted straight into the lineup at third base, batting seventh for the series finale against the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park on Aug. 16. The move sends Jack Brannigan back to Indianapolis after he went unused in the past three games since his call-up.
Yorke’s opportunity comes with a little more weight because of what the Pirates are managing elsewhere. Nick Gonzales is being handled carefully after taking a hit by pitch to the head in the 8-4 win over Boston in the series opener on Aug.
- Gonzales did not suffer a concussion and is not on the injured list, but the Pirates clearly do not want to push their luck with one of their better bats.
General manager Ben Cherington addressed Yorke on The Pirates Insider Show on 93.7 The Fan before the game, noting that he can give the club some experience and also allow Gonzales to get some time off.
The matchup fits, at least on paper. Yorke is a right-handed hitter, and the Pirates are looking at him against Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval. That matters for a team that has struggled badly against southpaws this year, going 11-26 against left-handed starters and 3-9 since the All-Star break.
It is also a notable moment for Yorke personally, because he will face the Red Sox for the first time. Boston drafted him 17th overall in 2020 out of Arizona, then sent him to Pittsburgh ahead of the 2024 deadline in the deal for right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester.
This is Yorke’s third stint with the Pirates this season. He opened the year on the major league roster, was optioned to Triple-A on May 2, returned for a short stretch from May 8 through May 18, and then went back down. His major league numbers this season have been rough, with a .197/.279/.276 line and a .555 OPS.
Yorke also missed time with a fractured middle finger, landing on the 7-day injured list on June 18 before officially returning to Indianapolis on Aug. 11. Since the injury, though, he has started to show a little more life at the plate, going 6-for-16 with two home runs - his first two of the season.
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