Pittsburgh Pirates: Erik González Should Start at Shortstop

Entering Spring Training shortstop was a major position battle for the Pittsburgh Pirates, it now appears that one player is emerging at the position

During Spring Training one of the position battles for the Pittsburgh Pirates was the shortstop position. Following a red hot performance this spring Kevin Newman was the team’s starting shortstop on Opening Day. However, things appear to be changing at shortstop.

Through the first 19 games of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates the shortstop position appears to be flipping. Erik González is off to a hot start this season while Newman has struggled mightily. Due to this, among other reasons, González should be the primary shortstop moving forward.

Starting with the offense, González is hitting for a .291/.304/.436 slash line this season. While he has drawn just 1 walk, he has cut back on the strike outs having struck out just 10 times in 55 at-bats giving him a career low 18.1% strikeout rate.

As for Newman, to call is start to the season slow would be an injustice to slow starts. Through 62 ABs he is hitting for a .177/.215/.210 slash line. Throughout his career Newman has been plagued by poor quality of contract rates and that has continued this season. According to Baseball Savant, he has yet to barrel a ball, his 84.2 MPH exit velocity 4 MPH below league average and his hard hit rate of 22.4% is 12.8% below league average.

Another thing González has been doing at the plate that Newman has not is collecting extra base hits. González has collected extra base hits at a 10.9% clip (5 doubles, 1 home runs in 55 ABs) in the early stages of the 2021 season, while Newman has posted an extra base hit rate of just 3.2% (2 doubles in 62 ABs).

Throughout his MLB career González has always been the superior defender of the two at shortstop. He owns a +5 Outs Above Average and a +2 Defensive Runs Saved at shortstop in his career. As for Newman, he has a career -10 OAA and -13 DRS.

Right now the shortstop debate is a bit of a moot point. With Ke’Bryan Hayes re-aggravating his wrist injury it does not appear he will be back any time soon. This will create an opportunity for González to start at third base while Newman is at shortstop. However, if Newman’s struggles continue and González continues to perform, then González is the one who needs to start at shortstop when Hayes returns. Even prior to that, if Newman continues to struggle the Pittsburgh Pirates could elect to play González at shortstop and Todd Frazier at third base.