PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to get the most out of their lineup and also out of infielder Nick Gonzales ahead of their series vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Pirates have Gonzales at designated hitter and batting fourth against the Dodgers in the series opener at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 21.
Gonzales will serve as designated hitter for the first time in 2026 and also in his career, only playing second base, third base and shortstop prior.
It's an interesting lineup change, but one that signals that manager Don Kelly wants to find the best offensive output from his players.
The Pirates don't have many better hitters than Gonzales this season, who has hit .310/.368/.404 for an OPS of .772, with 140 hits, 22 doubles, a triple, six home runs, and 53 RBI.
Gonzales has the third-best batting average in baseball, just behind Philadelphia Phillies second baseman (.320) and Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (.319).
May 6, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The reason the Pirates are likely putting Gonzales at designated hitter is because of his defensive struggles throughout this season.
Gonzales has played most of his games at third base , with 91 starts in 98 games, and ranks as one of the worst defensive third basemen in baseball.
His -14 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -11 outs above average (OAA) rank the worst and second-worst marks for any third baseman in MLB.
The Pirates will instead have Jared Triolo at third base, who has +13 DRS and +11 OAA in his career, helping him win a Gold Glove Award in 2024 and finish as a finalist in 2025 as a utility man.
It also helps with right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler on the mound, as it'll make the Pirates more defensively sound against a strong lineup in the Dodgers.
The Pirates get the most of Gonzales at the plate and none of the defensive mistakes that come with it.
| Player |
Position |
Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer Horwitz |
First Base |
Left |
| Brandon Lowe |
Second Base |
Left |
| Bryan Reynolds |
Left Field |
Switch |
| Nick Gonzales |
Designated Hitter |
Right |
| Oneil Cruz |
Center Field |
Left |
| Rafael Flores Jr. |
Catcher |
Right |
| Jake Mangum |
Right Field |
Switch |
| Jacob Gonzalez |
Shortstop |
Left |
| Jared Triolo |
Third Base |
Right |
The Pirates will have a pretty standard lineup, with first baseman Spencer Horwitz leading off, second baseman Brandon Lowe batting second, left fielder Bryan Reynolds hitting third, Gonzales batting fourth and center fielder Oneil Cruz hitting fifth.
One big change is catcher Rafael Flores Jr. hitting sixth, just his third time doing so this season, but well deserved after he hit two home runs off the bench in the 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers in the series finale on Aug. 19.
Aug 19, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Rafael Flores Jr. (43) circles the bases on his second solo home run of the game against the Detroit Tigers during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jake Mangum will take over for Esmerlyn Valdez in right field and bat seventh, as this gives the rookie a day off ahead of a nine-game road trip.
The Pirates will keep Jacob Gonzalez at shortstop and bat eighth and have Triolo bat ninth to round out the lineup.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/pirates/onsi as Pirates Make Nick Gonzales Position Change Before Dodgers Game .
