Jared Triolo’s August hot streak has Pirates fans getting sucked back in

It's fair to say that over the past three seasons, Jared Triolo has been given every chance imaginable (and then some) to earn an everyday role with the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's equally fair to say that his bat hasn't been consistent enough to justify giving him one.

After a hot start to his career late in the 2023 season, Triolo earned a spot on the Pirates' 2024 Opening Day roster as the starting second baseman. It was short-lived, however, as an offensive slide saw him swiftly replaced by Nick Gonzales, who has since taken over at the keystone full-time.

Triolo then shifted into a utility role, where he thrived defensively and even won a Gold Glove award as a utility player in 2024. His glove proceeded to be what kept him on the roster for the first half of 2025 despite his abysmal .158 batting average before he was finally sent down to Triple-A in July.

Jared Triolo’s August hot streak has Pirates fans getting sucked back in

After a brief, 15-game reset at Triple-A Indianapolis, Triolo returned to the Pirates on August 1 – right after the deadline trade of Ke'Bryan Hayes forced Isiah Kiner-Falefa to shift to third base, leaving an opening at shortstop.

Since his return, Triolo has gotten most of his playing time at short, which has coincided with better production at the plate. During the Pirates' recent six-game homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays and Colorado Rockies, Triolo hit .444 with two home runs, five RBI and 17 total bases. With another pair of hits in Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, he's now slashing .333/.422/.514 for a .936 OPS in the month of August.

Triolo's improved offensive production since shifting into an everyday shortstop role may be purely coincidental, but it may be worth considering him as a stopgap at the position until the eventual arrival of top prospect Konnor Griffin. He's got a gun for an arm and is better defensively than utility infielder Liover Peguero.

Let's not kid ourselves – Triolo is not the Pirates' shortstop of the future. An August heater isn't going to change that. And while his offensive output could be standard enough if he provides strong defense at shortstop, the Pirates will still need to make legitimate upgrades at third base, outfield and catcher if they have any hope of being competitive.

So, no, Triolo's recent surge is not going to be what resurrects the Pirates' offense and magically turns them into a contender. But with some more consistency, it could make him a decent shortstop option for 2026.

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