Pittsburgh Pirates: What to do With the Designated Hitter

CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 09: A general view of Progressive Field prior to the 90th MLB All-Star Game on July 9, 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)

For the first time in franchise history the Pittsburgh Pirates will use a designated hitter for the entire season. What should they do at the position? Are they well equipped to add the DH to their lineup? Let’s dive into it.

The 2020 MLB season will be unlike any other before it. Not only will MLB be trying to balance playing games with the coronavirus pandemic, it will also be the shortest season in the sports history at just 60 games. Furthermore, for the first time ever the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of the National League will use a designated hitter.

Now that the Pittsburgh Pirates will have the DH, they will have to figure out what they will do at the position. While no National League team is perfectly equipped for a DH this season since they did not have an entire offseason to prepare for it, the Pirates are in a decent spot to tackle thos conundrum.

When the regular season begins on either July 23 or 24, the Pirates will have multiple options for what they can do with their DH. It will be up to first-year manager Derek Shelton and his staff to determine which options is the best.

For the first time in franchise history the Pittsburgh Pirates will use a designated hitter for the entire season. What should they do at the position? Are they well equipped to add the DH to their lineup? Let’s dive into it.

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