Pirates offseason: Will Konnor Griffin see MLB in 2026? Alec Bohm a trade possibility?

Pirates offseason: Will Konnor Griffin see MLB in 2026? Alec Bohm a trade possibility?

What’s up everyone and welcome back to the PostGazette Pirate Show presented by FanDuel. My name is Colin Beasley. I’m here with my colleague and Pirates co-beat writer Jason Mackey coming to you live on a Tuesday morning. Jason, how are you doing today? I’m doing great, man. Doing great. Heck of a uh game seven of the ALCS last night, huh? Yeah. Oh my goodness. George Springer. Um I loved every bit of that. That was fun. Yeah. I we’re we’re here today to talk about the Pirates infield, part two of our five-part series going over various Pirates positions. We talked about the outfielders last week, talking about the infielders today, catchers and DH later this week, and starting pitching in the bullpen next week. But I did want to ask you a little bit about that Blue Jays game. How just just as a baseball fan, as a baseball journalist, what were your takeaways from that? I mean, how could you not be enthralled by all of it? I don’t you like that atmosphere at Robert Rogers Center is just incredible. It’s an entire country. Um, you know, and then the the drama with George Springer and and the decision to I just my goodness, man. I don’t even know where to start. I don’t know where to start. I thought it was a fantastic game, a fantastic culmination of a series. I’m happy for the Blue Jays. Um, I think it spells some doom or negativity or whatever for the World Series. Like I was, you know, before we hopped on here, I I was working on a column about, you know, big markets, big spenders basically is they’re the only ones with access to the World Series or real competition. But, um, you know, relative to last night, I just thought it was an incredible baseball game back and forth. And, uh, for a while, you know, you thought it was Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez um, were going to be the heroes in that one. And then all of a sudden game or uh you know seventh inning things change. So yeah, good stuff. It was an unbelievable game and and yeah, we can go into money talk and salary cap and all of that, but the stakes of that game you could tell it was yes, it was an elimination, but it was an elimination game, but it was more than that. It was the Blue Jays trying to get to their first World Series in 32 years, Mariners trying to get to their first World Series ever. It was it was incredible stakes and you you could tell that mattered. That was a more meaningful game than average. It was just yeah, really, really cool to see. And a good entry point, by the way, for our friends at FanDuel sportsbook.fanuel.com for your if you’re interested. Uh the Blue Jays are plus 184, the Dodgers minus 220. That’s how it opened. And that will uh get going on Friday. It’s exactly what I was setting up, too. Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. I jumped in front. I thought I was doing a good thing by You did. FanDuel. You did. You did. I’m glad we’re on the same page here. But yeah, let’s let’s now that now that we’ve talked about our friends at FanDuel, let’s talk a bit about the Pirates Infield. It was a it was a group that there were there were some positives in 2025. There were definitely a lot of negatives. Just overall, what were your what were your thoughts on where the Pirates infield stood in 2025? I mean, not nearly enough. I thought it was largely disappointing. Colin, I thought we we’re going to get more than we did. Um, you know, we saw a giant change with them trading KBrian Hayes, and I don’t I don’t question that trade. I think it was the the right trade. Um I think there’s a lot of questions going into next season which we’re going to get to. I know that’s kind of a generic answer, but I just thought there left a lot to be desired. I I expected to learn more on the left side of the infield. I’m not sure we know anything. Um you know, Isaiah Kinder Fa, as we unpacked last night, was an interesting story to me. Somebody that had a lot of great hopes for, especially early on, and I’m not sure it was the season he wanted or anybody else wanted. I thought it, you know, kind of left me wanting more. I think they defended well, but if I’m going to look at any place where, you know, it was offensively deficient, third base was a giant hole. I know you wrote about this in in our ongoing series looking at the infield spots, but uh really really bad. The only I think the only redeeming value I see is I think Spencer Horowitz can probably be a part of this thing going forward as a a former Penguins coach used to say. Um, other than that, I think there’s a lot of questions. Yeah, I I completely agree. I think if we if we do want to try and find some positives, I’d say the defense overall was very very strong. That the third base defense was something that was was fun to watch and and seeing the numbers back up the eye test. I mean, 27 defensive run saves from Pirates Pirates third baseman closest with the Royals with 15 and the Cubs had seven. You could just see there were some outstanding things happening at third base defensively, which makes sense considering the Pirates had three different third base goal glovers there to start the season. Brian Hayes, Jared Triolo, and IKF. Yeah, infield defense as a whole was fine. Shortstop, IF overall, he was he was solid enough. Like he wasn’t great, he wasn’t bad. He he was solid enough. Spencer Horitz was again a solid defender. Nick Gonzalez is maybe something to be desired, but it wasn’t it wasn’t necessarily all all that um disappointing defensive wise at least. But you’re you’re right with the offense is a completely other story apart from Spencer Horitz. Do what do you what do you think about Horiz? Do you think that the Pirates have something there? Do you think they can go in and go into the offseason and say Horitz is our everyday first base and our platoon first base? How do you how do you view him? Yeah, I mean I think at minimum he’s a platoon guy. I don’t have any problem with him hitting right-handed pitching. I think he’s really good against it. Um with the possibility for more. I think you have to look at how their off season lines up. Like it’s not my first priority, right? Like third base is a much bigger issue. Left field is a much bigger issue. I’d probably try to lengthen the bullpen a little bit. If I can get a compliment with Spencer Horwitz, I’d be happy with it. I I don’t think it’s necessary. Um, I I would try Joey Bart over there. We’ve had this conversation. I don’t understand. I mean, they’ve sort of flirted with it during batting practice. I don’t understand why we haven’t seen it a little bit more aggressively. I don’t understand what they’re doing behind the plate. And I know that’s a separate preview, but like, you’re going to have to find playing time for all these guys. I mean, it’s the perfect match, but yeah. I mean, if Paul Goldmid falls in their laps, that’s a good compliment. I would be okay with that. Um, I would also be okay giving Spencer Horwitz the opportunity to earn the job if maybe it lined up, you know, they had an opportunity to spend their money on left field and third base and it was all gone with those guys and they had to get a couple relievers. So, I’m kind of flexible on it. I I do I I like Horizwitz. I think he’s fine defensively. I don’t think he’s a an issue. Uh, he’s certainly good against right-handed pitching and I think some room to improve against left-handed pitching. I I like the I like the person. I like the makeup. I like the clubhouse guy. Um, so you know, positive impressions that way. What about you? Yeah, I I agree with you on that. I think definitely at minimum a platoon guy. And I something that surprised me when looking this up, I looked at WRC Plus. That’s a that’s one of those advanced metrics that pirates like a lot that that we like a lot. It’s one that you don’t necessarily know off the top of your head, but just two pirates were above league average in WRC Plus, and that was your two guys, Spencer Horitiz and Joey Park. I didn’t realize that that Bart was above average. I think that his late season surge, I guess, is is good home stand probably played into that, but yeah, that was that was something I was surprised by. And yeah, over overall with with the the right side of that infield with Horitz and Gonzalez, I know we’ll talk about Nick Gonzalez in a little bit, but with those two guys, I kind of feel like yeah, maybe you could ask for a little bit more out of them, but the Pirates have bigger needs. I don’t I’m not necessarily concerned if they go into the season with Horitz and Gonzalez on the right right side. I think it’s it’d be more than acceptable and that’s that’s a spot I don’t have any issues with them running it back. Yeah, I agree with you Colin. Um I again bigger fish to fry, right? Like I I think we need to have an honest cons conversation about Nick Gonzalez and I’ll get there. I do wanted to point out the uh the Spencer Horwitz differences in OPS. This is even more striking than I thought. 813 against righties, 593 against lefties. Wow. That’s uh that’s pronounced. That’s that’s nearing. I mean, it’s just one season. You know, his his data is somewhat limited, but I do think about a compliment. But anyway, how many at bats did he take against lefties last year? How often did they they let go against the split? 43 at bats against lefties, 321 against righties. He almost was a platoon guy last year. That’s not that’s not a lot against the opposite side. Um, maybe more, man. I mean, if you dig into Bart’s splits, Bart against lefties, it’s great. Or I mean, if you’re going to bring Andrew McCutchen back and have him hit lefties, fine. But I mean, somebody’s got to play first base. There’s that problem. But, uh, you know, it’s an interesting one, man. I just don’t understand. Like, the path of least resistance is to just try Joey Bart with the first baseman’s glove and it didn’t do it last year. Yeah. Would have been fun to see. Is this the time that Cut finally takes real first base reps? Like I know he No. No. I won’t even jokingly jokingly put that out there beyond that. Well, dude, I I mean, couple years ago, I don’t think you were at the PG yet. I wrote a column on it and I still believe it. Like I still believe it makes sense try over there, but then I had people saying like, “That’s not going to happen. Never ever. Never.” So, all right, I’ll shut up. Yeah. I I I think it’s worth having that that honest conversation about Nick Gonzalez. And I I think we can we could talk about Jared Triolo in a bit, but first with with Nick Gonzalez, I was I was really surprised to see that he was a negative 0.7 war player. That’s something that I knew he was fine. I knew his his war doesn’t necessarily match the eye test because you look at him, you see that he he he gets on B or he um not he gets on base, he has a high batting average. He plays fine defense, at least eye test wise. It’s not too It doesn’t necessarily stand out, but he does have the lowest war on the team. So, what what what are your opinions on Nick Gonzalez? I know, man. I know. Like, here we go. Here’s player A has a 675 OPS. Player B has a 667 OPS. Talking career numbers. One of them we act like he can hit. The other one we say he’s offensively deficient and he can only defend. I’m talking, of course, about Nick Gonzalez and Jared Triolo. like they’re very similar players except Triolo is really good defensively and Gonzalez is kind of average like and again I I really like Nick Gonzalez the person, the player, his makeup, all this stuff. Like I I am willing to trust him and hear him out and I think he’s done a lot of good things. I’m absolutely not trying to crush him but like I kind of need to see a little bit more if you’re going to commit everyday reps. Like the general narrative with Triolo is like he’s a bouncearound guy and even the most negative, you know, earlier this season he don’t belong on the roster, you know, stuff like that. But like Nick Gonzalez is a a future piece. Like they’re they’re combined. They’re they’re OPS. They’re basically the same player. Um so anyway, I mean, if I’m going to bat Gonzalez in the heart of the lineup, which the Pirates have often done, I just I need to see a little bit more consistent contact. I don’t need to see 20 homers. I don’t expect 20 homers, but I’d like 15. Um, I’d like some gap to gap power. I think it’s in there. So, I think this kid has a really high ceiling offensively, Colin. I just it it needs to come around in 2026 or I’m going to try to, you know, do things a little bit differently and maximize how many bats I get in the lineup. Like I if I’m not mistaken, Spencer Horowitz can play a little bit of second base and try to move it around somehow and get more bats in the lineup. I I’m not going to roll out somebody who has, you know, a 650 OPS and pretend like they’re guaranteed a spot. They’re not. Yeah, they reminded us of that. And Spencer Hordes can play second base in that last series in Atlanta. They That’s right. second base and we’re like, “Oh, yeah, that’s that’s a position he’s played a lot of.” Interesting there. And yeah, with with this this seems weird to say about Nick Gonzalez, but what I’d like to see is I’d like to see him walk more. He walked 21 times in 400 played appearances. He just he doesn’t like he he played about 100 games this season. Walked what once a week essentially. Yeah, it’s it’s weird to say. I I want a player to walk more. And I know we’ve talked a lot about the Pirates needing to be more aggressive, but Nick Gonzalez is a guy that at needs to find ways on base. Walking is a a way to do that. Yeah. I pay you to get on base. Do I care if it’s a hit or a walk? No, I don’t. Moneyball. Moneyball. Loosely quoted. But I mean, get on base. Get on base. Loosely quoted. I think it’s I think it’s worth talking a little bit about 2026 now. what what they should do with that shortstop position because Jared Chiro showed some things at the end of Yeah. this season, but there’s this guy that the Pirates have. I don’t know if you’ve heard of him. He’s a bum. Pretty good. Get him out. Pretty good baseball player is the guy I’m talking about. Number one overall prospect in baseball. Connor Griffin. Yeah. Coming up to in theory play shortstop for the Pirates. I don’t necessarily think that he’s going to be here as the opening day shortstop. I think he hasn’t played above double A. I’d like to see him at least show that he can be successful at AAA as well. Let him let him have some reps there. But Conor Griffin is going to play into the calculus at at shortstop and in the infield in 2026. What What are your expectations for him in his debut year? Yeah, I mean I would love Colin I would love love love for the Pirates to extend him this off season and get him up here and have him be on the opening day roster and have it be a bit of a surprise and whatever you’re showing that commitment toward keeping players here and if there are lumps I I have full confidence Connor Griffin would be able to weather them. Um, I’ve also been around the Pirates enough that I’m not going to get my hopes up that it’s probably going to be AAA to start and then we’ll see you in June, which is also fine. Um, but yeah, it would it would be a lot of fun. I think it would help them. I think it would generate some optimism if they would extend Griffin. Uh, I am I am really excited to see this kid play and work every day. You follow him on social media. I do too. We both follow his dad, I’m sure. Like he’s already showing videos of him, you know, working out, swinging. just a great person, kid, drive, athleticism, like literally every tool you would want in the toolbox. Um, so I mean, my opinion, shortstop is his. It’s just a matter of when he takes it. And in the meantime, like I’m probably fine rolling with Triolo there. I I have no problem with what he’s done defensively. He adds value. I know shortstop was the lowest of his four positions in the infield defensively. I don’t care. I don’t have to make a move. He doesn’t make a lot of money. he can keep the seat warm for Griffin. When Griffin comes up here, I’m absolutely fine with Triolo as my bouncearound utility type. Um, and that allows me to spend money on third base where they’re offensively deficient. So, that would be my plan. What about you? Yeah, I again I completely agree with you there. I think that Trillo is he he’s he does enough defensively that he’s never going to be absolutely worth a zero. He’s always going to be someone who’s who’s decent enough to have on the field. And if he hits, look at that. You’ve got a pretty solid player there. Another of the stats that surprised me looking at war totals again, Jared Trillo led all Pirates position players in war this year according to baseball reference 2.4. Obviously, a lot of that is defensively, but when he when he hit as well as he did in the second half of the season, I’m trying to pull it pull it up here. Batted 276 after August 1st, four homers, 12 doubles, and a 775 OPS. That was a solid baseball player. Again, I know Jared Trillo has shown this before. I know I wasn’t on the beat when it happened, but I know he’s made a bit of a habit of these late season surges, but I don’t necessarily mind him keeping the keeping the seat warm. And hey, if he ends up if something clicked for him and he ends up proving that he’s someone who should be playing anyways, that’s a good problem to have. I’m fine with having that conversation if we get to a point where both Jared Triolo and Connor Griffin are worth having on the field, but that’s a June conversation. Yeah, for sure. I mean, he’s on your team. He He could be a two-time Gold Glove winner and deservedly so. So, and talking about Triolo, of course. I mean, he, you know, is is 100% a part of this thing. It’s just a matter of where he ends up playing. And I mean, I don’t at this point, I don’t know who plays shortstop if it’s not Triolo. Like, did they go out and sign somebody? I don’t know if you need to add offense. Short stops generally not the best position to do it. You have a a greater pick of it at third base. I know we’ll talk about that in a minute, but uh yeah, I I think the path of least resistance is Triola. Yeah, I agree. I think that’s a really good transition to to what we’re about to talk about with uh with some offseason signings and who we believe the Pirates should um should look at in the offseason. But first, a word from our friends at Grenal Roofing. Hey Pittsburgh, when you think of great roofs, you think Greenwalt Roofing Company. With over 20 years experience, Greenwald knows your roof is your home’s first line of defense. From rain, wind, snow, and ice. That’s why Greenalt Roofing standard for perfection is so important. You can trust that their team of experienced installers will treat your property like it’s their own. When it comes to roof replacements, Greenwald Roofing is Pittsburgh’s only choice. Visit greenowroofing.com today or call 412-314882 to schedule your free estimate. NBA contractor number 36262. So Connor Griffin is is coming to help the 2026 Pirates. That’s top prospect, guy who’s going to help this team. Someone worth getting your hopes up for in my in my opinion, but I think I don’t think it’s in I don’t think it’s controversial to say that the Pirates need to do more besides just promoting them to help their infield and they need to do so this off season. What are what do you believe that the Pirates need to do this off season? And really the big question, what do you do with third base in your opinion, Jason? Uh, I think Bregman is probably the most realistic option. I don’t sign Alex Bregman. I don’t know. Yueno Suarez. No, I’m just joking around, but Breman for sure. Makes sense. Yep. Do it. No, I So, I’m pulling out my notes and this is like highlevel nerdiness. I don’t know. It’s I’m probably going to butcher it, but u from a free agency offseason acquisition piece that I did recently. And I mean, there’s a lot of options here. Like, I look at maybe outfield as what makes more sense to target via free agency. And I think about third base is somebody I can maybe acquire um or just, you know, find a different way to to chop it up and and whatever. And I guess what I mean by that, like Jordan Westber from the Orioles is somebody who really stands out to me. That might make a lot of sense. They might be obtainable. The Orioles clearly have interest in the Pirates young pitching. They need pitching. there’s probably a match there where you trade some of that value in Mitch Keller for a player with, you know, much less of a salary, but has shown some power production. Um, and he can also defend at third base, by the way, but he does have some positional flexibility. Uh, Brandon Laauo was another guy that I thought was kind of interesting. And, you know, talking first base, second base, little corner outfield stuff. I don’t I don’t know how that totally lines up, but two players with power potential who could help their offense quite a bit, you know, when they’re in situations, LA with the the Rays, like they should be obtainable. If you’re going to give to get uh the Pirates have some things that would be attractive to those teams. I I think you go out and make a trade somehow. I don’t think it’s realistic to bring in a Suarez or a Bregman as much as I would like to see it. What about you? Yeah, I I looked at it and I agree that Suarez and a Bregman is is very unlikely. I went as far as to say Bregman’s just unrealistic. Suarez is someone that maybe won’t get as big of a contract as people expect him to. I mean, he’s 34. He’s only going to get a two or three season deal. He’s a defensive liability at third base. He’s he’s uh he’s someone who’s probably not going to hit something crazy. On one hand, you could be like, “Oh, a short short high annual value deal. Maybe that’s not as ridiculous as it is.” But then again, you look at the Pirates and you look at what they’ve done in free agency over the last decade and it’s it’s not super realistic, even if the numbers aren’t too too crazy. Some of the free agents I listed, I listed Yan Mona, Willie Castro, Luis Rango, Ahmed Rosario. Castro would be probably the name that jumps out there among the more realistic guys. But again, I I’d say overall I agree with you. I think that a trade is probably the the more likely solution when you look at the Orioles, when you look at the Rays. I’m going to mention Philly’s third baseman Alec Bow again, even though he’s only Everybody loves Alec Bow, man. Though he’s only on a one year, only in one only has one year before full free agency. So, I don’t really know that it makes sense, but I do know the Phillies very much would like to ship him off and try and get a Bregman type. So, yeah, maybe there’s something there. But, yeah, some some external acquisition needs to be made. And whether that’s trade, whether that’s free agency, I it’s it’s clear that that needs to happen. Yeah. I don’t The bone thing, can we talk about that for a second? Like, yeah, I’ve gotten several emails like, “What about him? Is Alec Bolton? Is he an option? The Pirates going to trade for Alec Bolton? Like I maybe I don’t I don’t hate it, but like I don’t think it’s worth obsessing over here. I I just it’s not somebody that they would have to like sign and extend him, right? Or or you’re just going to have him and it’s going to be brief, whatever. Like I don’t know. I’d kind of rather see the Pirates get somebody they can have and grow with for a while. That’s why I went with Jordan Westber or I don’t know, Kobe Mayo is another type or whatever. Like I don’t know. But I guess it’s the same sort of thing. I’m like doing the mental gymnastics in my head. Like I’m bringing up Brandon Lao and it’s probably a more natural fit. You know, Bame’s the same same type or Bone Bane. Boom. Boom is the same type of player um contractwise. So, I don’t know. I get it. I get it. I just want somebody like I I I want to be able to have somebody in that lineup that they have for a number of years who I know can actually add some offense. Like if you have, you know, player X at third base, you have Connor Griffin at short, let’s say Nick Gonzalez amounts to something at second, and then Spencer Horowitz at first, like that might actually be a pretty good infield that’s going to be around for a while. And I I would like that. You know, bounce back can’t outfield. Let’s say O’Neal Cruz figures it out. Brian Reynolds has some offense to him. That That’s not a bad offense, Colin. It shouldn’t be. We’ve reached that point in the offseason where it doesn’t look too bad. I I see I see the hope. like I I I we’ve reached that point. No, but I I I agree agree with what what you’re saying. I I know that there’s there’s some things that on paper don’t look too don’t look too bad with Boom. Like that I I I went to school in Philadelphia, so I still have a lot of friends who are Phillies fans. I still follow the Inquirer Sports Writers and that team’s coverage relatively closely. Not a Phillies fan by any stretch. I had that be accused as a Villanova grad. not a Phillies fan, but it just seems like there’s a lot of relatively decent players that the Phillies are hoping to get rid of this off season. And I I don’t necessarily want the Pirates to be a team that picks up other teams trash and just looks for looks for guys that have been are unwanted in various places, but a guy like Bow or a guy like Kepler, I know he’s a free agent. We talked about various guys there, I feel like some sort of trade could make sense, but I don’t know. You’ve been around it for longer than I have if like you you you you tend to have a good read on these things. I mean, I’m not saying it’s wrong. I’m not saying it’s wrong. And and the Pirates have gone more egregiously dumpster diving than than Alec Bow for sure. Like I I it depends on the ask. I’m just saying that I would probably rather and I’m contradicting myself. Like I’m absolutely guilty here because I’m throwing up Brandon Laauo who’s in the final year of arbitration, whatever. Um you know, I just like to see them come out of this with somebody with some years of control that they could grow with. So I don’t know. Maybe I maybe I should shush it and we should all get down with Alec Bow. Um, he’s topped out of 20 homers, Colin. Is that enough? Like, he’s only been I don’t know, 4.3 war over the past two seasons. That’s actually pretty good. So, all right. I’m on the Alec Bomb train. Let’s go. There we go. I got you on it. I Yeah, it it just helped. It would It would be better than what the Pirates have there. So, sure. Hard Hard to be worse. What was the disparity you listed in there? Like the third base, WRC Plus, and then the drop. That’s right. 57 is what they achieved and then the next highest was 73. 100 is average. So they were not only below average, they were I don’t know exactly how it’s calculated, so I don’t want to say almost doubly so, but they they weren’t even close to average offensively at first base in WRC plus. Yeah. Or at third base, excuse me. Yeah. Something that changes need to be made. Yep. We’ll have coverage all off season. We’ll keep you covered. Whether the Pirates sign Alec Bow, whether they sign Yueno Suarez, whatever happens, we will keep you covered. We’ll be back on Friday with the uh third episode. We’ll be talking about catchers and designated hitter. Thank you guys for watching. We will talk to you guys next time. [Music] Thank you for checking out this content from Postgazette Sports. If you watch this video on YouTube, please like the video and subscribe to our channel. For all of the sports coverage that Post Gazette has to offer, visit post-gazette.com. [Music]

On their latest Pirates season-in-review podcast, presented by FanDuel, Post-Gazette Pirates insiders Jason Mackey look at what went right and what went wrong for the infield in 2025. And moves GM Ben Cherington and manager Don Kelly could make to improve it in the year ahead.

Was Spencer Horwitz the biggest success story within the group with solid production at first base? Can more be expect of Nick Gonzales at second base? Will Konnor Griffin be an answer at shortstop at the MLB level in 2026? And why might Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies be among the best third base solutions available on the trade market? Our duo tackles those questions and more.

For more Pirates coverage, visit: https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates

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