The Pirates’ answer to losing Konnor Griffin was not the kind of move that calms anybody down.
Griffin is on the injured list with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, and Pittsburgh had to scramble for a way to cover the roster hole he left behind. Jack Brannigan was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis to help in the infield, but that move also took another body out of an already thin position-player mix in Indianapolis.
That’s where Joshua Palacios comes back into the picture.
According to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, the Pirates have agreed to a minor league contract with Palacios, who will report to Triple-A Indianapolis. It’s a familiar name for Pittsburgh: he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons in the organization and played a career-high 91 games for the Pirates in 2023.
For a team trying to steady itself after Griffin’s injury, though, this is a pretty modest fix.
Palacios is 30 now and will turn 31 later this month. In parts of five major league seasons with four different teams, he has hit .223/.287/.349 with 15 home runs across 578 plate appearances. He spent about a quarter of his big league career with the Chicago White Sox in the first half of the 2025 season before ending the year in Triple-A.
He has done better in the minors. Palacios owns a .293/.382/.475 line in nearly 800 career Triple-A plate appearances, along with a workable strikeout and walk profile. He can also handle some center field if needed, though he is mostly viewed as a corner outfielder.
That makes the fit easy enough to explain. The Pirates released Dominic Fletcher over the weekend, Griffin’s injury pushed Brannigan up to the majors, and Indianapolis needed help in the outfield. Palacios checks those boxes, and he won’t need much time to get comfortable in the organization.
But comfort is part of the issue here. This looks less like a forceful response to a serious injury and more like Pittsburgh reaching for a name it already knows.
Griffin’s absence could change the feel of the Pirates’ season. Palacios’ return doesn’t come close to changing that.
In Other News...
Pirates Just Got A Brutal Konnor Griffin Update At The Worst Time
Konnor Griffin had only just worked his way back into the Pirates lineup and was starting to look like a steady presence at shortstop again before another setback hit. The rookie had been giving Pittsburgh a welcome boost with his bat and overall production, which made the timing of this latest injury especially frustrating for a club trying to find any kind of rhythm in the middle of the season.
The Pirates now have to decide how aggressive to be with the 20-year-old, because there is at least some thought that he could try to play through it. More likely, though, is a cautious path that keeps him out long enough to heal properly and gives Pittsburgh a chance to get him back later in the year, if the rehab goes the way it needs to. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Linked To A Deadline Arm They Desperately Need
The Pirates are being tied to a left-handed arm as the trade deadline approaches, and the fit is easy to understand. Pittsburgh is looking for pitching help, especially in the bullpen, where left-handed depth has been a need, and the front office appears more likely to chase relief help than spend its biggest chips on the starting rotation.
Washingtons place in the playoff race is what makes this one tricky. The Nationals have reason to keep listening but no obvious reason to move a pitcher who has helped them this season, and Pittsburghs search for bullpen reinforcements could still lead them toward a closer or another late-inning option instead of a more versatile arm. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Injury Picture Just Got More Urgent Before Second Half
The Pirates got a little relief on the injury front as the All-Star break approaches, with Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz both moving in the right direction and trending toward a return shortly after the pause. Cruz has been progressing well from left hand fractures, while Horwitz is also coming along from a left hamstring strain, giving Pittsburgh a chance to get two important pieces back as the second half gets underway.
Wilber Dotel is still working through his own recovery from a lat strain and is set for another minor-league rehab appearance as part of that process. The bigger concern, though, is Endy Rodrguez, who left a recent game with left side discomfort and remains under evaluation, adding another layer of uncertainty to a roster that could use a cleaner bill of health once the schedule flips. [Read more 🡒]