Adam Frazier To Bat Lead Off On Opening Day

Who will lead off for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day tomorrow? We now have an answer!

Part of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Opening Day lineup is now known. This comes from manager Clint Hurdle‘s meeting with the media on Sunday afternoon.

Super utility man Adam Frazier will start in left field for the Pirates on Monday. Due to this, Frazier will bat lead off. The Pirates’ regular left fielder, Gregory Polanco, will serve as the team’s designated hitter on Monday.

Even though this news comes as a bit of a surprise, it is not a total shocker. This spring Clint Hurdle said they would bat Adam Frazier toward the top of the lineup when he starts. So, seeing Frazier being scheduled to lead off tomorrow is not a surprise.

Also, seeing Gregory Polanco serve as the designated hitter is not a total shocker. He has been battling a sore shoulder the past week and a half. Having him be the designated hitter against the Boston Red Sox is a good way to rest his shoulder, while still getting his bat in the lineup.

While the rest of the Pirate lineup is an unknown, an educated guess can be made. Barring something bizarre happening in the next 23 hours, Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen will join Adam Frazier in the outfield. Francisco Cervelli will catch, and the infield will almost assuredly consist of David Freese (3B), Jordy Mercer (SS), Josh Harrison (2B), and Josh Bell (1B).

If the Pirates do not release their lineup later tonight, then it should become public knowledge early Monday morning.

Next: Pirates Set Opening Day Roster

Frist pitch is scheduled for 2:05 PM tomorrow afternoon. Rick Porcello will start for the Red Sox, while the Pirates will counter with Gerrit Cole.