The Pirates are making another adjustment with Konnor Griffin, and this time it comes before their four-game set with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Griffin will be the designated hitter and lead off in the series opener on June 29, rather than handling shortstop, where he started in the Pirates’ 9-4 win over the Reds on June 28. Jared Triolo is set to slide in at shortstop and bat eighth against Philadelphia.
The move is part of the Pirates’ plan to manage Griffin carefully as he works back to full strength. Pittsburgh activated him from the 10-day injured list on June 26 after he dealt with a right forearm flexor strain, and the team has been cautious about exposing him to too much too soon.
That injury made shortstop difficult because throwing brought pain, which eventually forced the Pirates to shut him down. He then went through a throwing program that included a trip to Florida during the team’s last road swing.
Griffin has already shown he can still contribute while easing back in. He served as designated hitter in two games against the Twins at PNC Park on May 29-30 and went 4 for 9 with a double, an RBI and two stolen bases.
The Pirates also brought him back from a rehab assignment with Double-A Altoona after just one game on June 24. He made that stop count, drawing a walk, getting hit by a pitch, ripping an RBI triple and launching a two-run homer.
The club had planned to give him scheduled breaks anyway, even if he had stayed with Altoona, so the off days aren’t being treated as anything out of the ordinary. Pittsburgh also held him out of the second game against the Reds on June 27 after he started at shortstop in the opener, played all nine innings and opened the game with a leadoff home run.
For now, the expectation is that the Pirates will continue building in occasional time off as Griffin gets used to playing shortstop every day again.
Pittsburgh’s lineup against the Phillies also reflects the confidence it has in its younger players after a strong showing against Cincinnati. Esmerlyn Valdez stays in right field and hits fifth, the highest he has batted in the majors, after homering in all three games against the Reds.
Tyler Callihan shifts from left field to third base in place of Nick Gonzales, his fourth start there this season. Callihan also homered in the series finale against the Reds, and his left-handed bat is expected to matter in this series against Philadelphia.
Endy Rodríguez returns behind the plate and will bat sixth, Bryan Reynolds moves back to left field and hits third, and Jake Mangum drops to ninth in center field.
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