Pittsburgh Pirates: Adam Frazier Set For Spring Debut

After being limited by a groin issue Adam Frazier will make his spring debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon

Sunday afternoon the Pittsburgh Pirates will play the eighth game of their 2021 Grapefruit League schedule. Entering the game with a record of 3-3-1, the Pirates will host the Baltimore Orioles at LECOM Park in Bradenton at 1:05 PM EST.

In Sunday afternoon’s game, second baseman Adam Frazier will make his first appearance of the spring. Frazier has yet to appear in a game this spring due to a groin issue. While Frazier will make his first appearance with the Pittsburgh Pirates this spring on Sunday, it will be as the team’s designated hitter and not at second base.

The Pirate lineup for Sunday afternoon is as follows:

DH – Adam Frazier
3B – Ke’Bryan Hayes
C – Jacob Stallins
1B – Phillip Evans
CF – Brian Goodwin
SS – Kevin Newman
LF – Dustin Fowler
2B – Wilmer Difo
RF – Jared Oliva

As the shortstop battle starts to heat up in Pirate camp, Kevin Newman gets the nod over Erik González. After picking up a hit in his Pirate debut on Saturday afternoon, Dustin Fowler makes his first start in the field. Brian Goodwin, who is battling with Fowler and Anthony Alford for the team’s starting center fielder and fourth outfielder jobs, gets the nod in center.

Also returning to the lineup on Sunday afternoon is outfield prospect Jared Oliva. Due to back soreness, Oliva has not appeared in a game since the first Pirate game of the spring back on February 28. While Oliva entered the spring competing with Alford for the job in center field, with the additions of Goodwin and Fowler to the roster in recent weeks Oliva now seems like a slam dunk to start the season at the team’s alternate training site and then Triple-A Indianapolis.

JT Brubaker is shceduled to make his second start of the spring. Chase De Jong, Kyle Crick, Clay Holmes, David Bednar, Chasen Shreve and Richard Rodriguez are all scheduled to pitch as well.  Brubaker is battling for the final spot in the Pirate starting rotation, while Crick and Bednar are battling for bullpen spots. Rodriguez is a lock to be in the Opening Day bullpen with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Shreve likely is as well.

Sunday afternoon’s game will be broadcast on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ flagship radio stations 93.7 The Fan, as well as on MLB.tv. The game will also be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.