Pirates blindsided by Konnor Griffin injury update that has season hanging in balance

Just when the Pittsburgh Pirates looked like they might finally be getting a glimpse of the team they were supposed to be, they were hit with another injury gut punch.

Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has a torn tendon in his left ring finger, according to ESPN insider Jeff Passan, and while there is apparently a possibility he could try to play through it, rehab is considered the likeliest outcome. That would keep Griffin sidelined for at least a month, which is the kind of timeline that can change the entire direction of a season.

For the Pirates, the timing couldn't be much worse. Since his return from a monthlong stint on the IL with a forearm strain, Griffin has been one of the few pieces capable of changing the energy of this club on both sides of the ball. That was obvious Sunday afternoon against the Washington Nationals, when he made a pair of sensational diving catches before delivering a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning of Pittsburgh’s 11-5 win at Nationals Park.

It's unclear if the finger injury is related to anything that happened in that game, though Griffin was seen looking at his finger in the dugout after the first diving catch. What is clear is that the Pirates could be losing the exact player who just reminded everyone why his presence matters so much.

Konnor Griffin injury should force Pirates' front office to show urgency in making roster upgrades

Griffin's injury is especially brutal because Pittsburgh is already trying to survive without Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz. Cruz’s power-speed combination is impossible to replace, while Horwitz had become one of the steadier bats in the lineup before landing on the injured list. Now Griffin, the rookie phenom who gives the Pirates athleticism, defense, speed and real top-of-the-order upside, could be headed back to the shelf.

Perhaps the most frustrating part is that this Pirates team has done enough to keep itself relevant despite all the chaos. The rotation has shown flashes, the offense has had stretches where it looked deeper than expected, and the bench has produced more than anyone reasonably could have asked. But there is a difference between surviving short-term absences and watching the core of the lineup get hollowed out piece by piece.

The Pirates can't simply shrug this off and call it adversity. Griffin’s injury should be treated as a direct threat to Pittsburgh's season, and it should force the front office to confront the obvious: this roster needs help, and the margin for waiting is disappearing fast.

If Griffin is out for a month during a Wild Card chase, four weeks of Jared Triolo isn't going to cut it. Pittsburgh’s season may not be over, but it's officially on the edge.

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