The Pittsburgh Pirates made a roster tweak before their series finale against the Los Angeles Angels at PNC Park on Sept. 6, bringing back outfielder Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis and sending utility man Nick Yorke back down.
Simon’s return gives Pittsburgh a player who can move around the field and bring a little speed into the mix. In Triple-A this season, he’s logged time at all three outfield spots, with 29 starts in center field, 29 in right field and 40 in left field.
The Pirates had already given Simon a look earlier this month. They selected his contract on Aug. 5, putting him on the 40-man roster after designating Marcell Ozuna for assignment, then added him to the 26-man roster.
During that stretch, Simon started four games in right field, one in left field and four more as the designated hitter before Pittsburgh sent him back down on Aug. 17.
Part of the appeal is the bat profile. Simon is a switch-hitter, and the Pirates liked the idea of using him against left-handed pitching. At Indianapolis, he posted strong numbers from both sides of the plate: .315/.436/.509 with an OPS of .945 against southpaws, and .336/.415/.446 with an OPS of .861 against right-handers.
His major league numbers weren’t eye-popping, but they also weren’t a total miss. Simon hit .290/.333/.323 for the Pirates, good for an OPS of .656.
With Simon back on the 28-man roster, Pittsburgh is likely to use him in the corner outfield spots and at designated hitter, though less often than before.
Yorke’s stint lasted three weeks after he was called up a day before Simon was sent down on Aug. 16. In 13 games during his third run with the club in 2026, he hit .250/.300/.286 with an OPS of .586, collecting seven hits in 28 at-bats, a double, six RBI and two walks against nine strikeouts.
He also made five starts in the field, with three at third base and one each at first base and left field.
The Pirates recently brought back shortstop Konnor Griffin and appear to be looking at how Simon fits with the current group rather than giving Yorke limited playing time. Yorke could still get another chance with Pittsburgh this season, but he’ll need to hit well at Triple-A to earn it.
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