Have The Pittsburgh Pirates Found A New Top Of The Lineup?

After struggling with the leadoff spot all season long it appears the Pittsburgh Pirates may have found an answer not just for leadoff but the entire top three in the lineup

The leadoff spot has not been a successful one for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season. Seven different Pirate players have hit leadoff this season with Josh Harrison having done it most often (39 games). But after owning a .313 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot, and a .292 overall OBP this season, Harrison has been dropped in the lineup.

After toying around with Josh Bell leading off over the weekend, Pirate manager Clint Hurdle not just a new leadoff man but a new top three in his lineup the past two nights. And if early results are any indication Hurdle may have found a new top of the lineup.

Against the Nationals on Monday night Hurdle had a top three in his lineup of Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte, and Gregory Polanco. These same three players then occupied the top three spots in the Pirate lineup on Tuesday night as well.

In his two games from the leadoff spot Dickerson is 3-for-8 with a walk and a triple. This is a pleasant change from the production the Pirates have gotten from the leadoff spot this season.

It has not been just Dickerson that has hit well at the top of the lineup the past two games. Marte is 2-for-7 with a walk, a double, and two stolen bases, while Polanco 3-for-7 with a walk, a home run, and a stolen base.

In addition to their success the past two games, other than Francisco Cervelli, these three players have been the team’s best hitters this season. So, batting them in the top three spots in the lineup seems to be a rather logical move.

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It appears that Clint Hurdle may have found a new top of the lineup for the Pirates. As long as these three hitters continue to thrive at the top of the lineup this could become the new top three in the Pirate lineup.