{"id":736421,"date":"2026-06-26T23:09:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T23:09:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/736421\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T23:09:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T23:09:26","slug":"konnor-griffin-has-more-to-prove-for-pirates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/736421\/","title":{"rendered":"Konnor Griffin Has More to Prove for Pirates"},"content":{"rendered":"

PITTSBURGH \u2014 The Pittsburgh Pirates have Konnor Griffin back for the second half of 2026 and he is looking to make a serious impact.<\/p>\n

Griffin comes back to the Pirates after they activated him off the 10-day injured list<\/a> and will start at shortstop against the Cincinnati Reds in the series opener at PNC Park on June 26, batting leadoff too.<\/p>\n

The Pirates missed Griffin the entire month of June and finally have their star rookie after 22 games out with a right forearm flexor strain, which prevented him from playing shortstop.<\/p>\n

Griffin went through an extensive injury rehab and is now ready for whatever challenges await him the rest of the campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, it was a long few weeks having to sit out, but glad to be back,” Griffin said. “Can\u2019t wait to get out there and play a game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Griffin Wants Even Better in 2026<\/p>\n

The Pirates brought Griffin up for his MLB debut on April 3 and then signed him to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension on April 8, putting great faith in the then-19 year old as the star of the franchise for the next decade.<\/p>\n

Griffin became the every day shortstop following his MLB debut and played 51 games before his injury, batting .270\/.327\/.402 for an OPS of .729, with 51 hits, nine doubles, four home runs and 14 stolen bases<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

May 6, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

He displayed what made him the top prospect in baseball last year, good contact and power, while also showing off his range at shortstop and great speed on the basepaths.<\/p>\n

Most of Griffin’s work was based on getting his arm back to 100% and being ready for the workload of what the shortstop position demands, but a lot of his focus was towards his hitting and improving upon that aspect of his game for the second half of 2026. <\/p>\n

He was able to achieve this during his time down in Bradenton, Fla<\/a>., which he did during the last road trip for the Pirates, focusing fully on his injury rehab<\/a> and his approach towards hitting<\/p>\n

\u201cJust some hitting stuff, just messing around with a little wider stance,” Griffin said. “Doing some different stuff with my arms. Just trying to be as efficient as I can at the major league level and just be consistent. I feel like I can produce more here than I have in the first 50 games. Florida was a good little reset and I\u2019m treating it like this is my second half of the year, so time to get it rolling and finish strong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pirates Need Great Production From Griffin<\/p>\n

Griffin had a fantastic month of May, slashing .306\/.361\/.459 for an OPS of .820, which coincided with him turning 20 years old on April 24, batting .317\/.370\/.488 for an OPS .858 in that time, with all four home runs coming after that.<\/p>\n

The Pirates are pleased with Griffin’s return, but they still have two other injuries, with center fielder Oneil Cruz out with a fractured left hand and first baseman Spencer Horwitz<\/a> suffering a left hamstring injury two days prior.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

May 30, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (15) hits a three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

It’s an unfortunate slew of injuries, which also saw Ryan O’Hearn miss two weeks with a right quad muscle strain and return right before Griffin went on the injured list.<\/p>\n

The Pirates are 41-40 through 81 games<\/a> and just 2.5 games back in the National League Wild Card<\/a> race, as they try and make the postseason for the first time since 2015.<\/p>\n

Griffin’s play can play a big role in them achieving that goal and he’s ready to show that he can become the star they need in 2026.<\/p>\n

“Yeah, I feel rested. I feel recovered,” Griffin said. “I’m looking to attack\u00a0the second half as strong as I can. There were ups and downs in the first half for me and I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove. Just gonna take it day by day and go compete.<\/p>\n

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates!<\/a><\/p>\n

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