Pirates can fix Nick Gonzales problem without sacrificing his bat

It was obvious to everyone coming into the 2026 season that the Pittsburgh Pirates were sacrificing defense for offense. At some positions, the trade-off was greater than at others, with third base serving as a prime example.

Nick Gonzales has struggled mightily with the glove, while at the same time his bat has blossomed, fulfilling his promise as a 2020 first-round pick and former top prospect. Even in the minor leagues, his bat got top billing, and his glove was viewed as lagging behind, despite some hard work to close the gap.

That dichotomy has been very stark in 2026. The 27-year-old owns a .311/.369/.404, which is good for a 115 wRC+. However, over 98 games and 795 1/3 innings at the hot corner, Gonzales has posted an abysmal -14 defensive runs saved and -11 outs above average. He's made 10 errors, split evenly between fielding gaffes and errant throws, while posting a .947 fielding percentage.

Gonzales can't be blamed completely for his ineptitude. He's more experienced as a second baseman, and the Pirates inexplicably didn't let him know he'd be the primary third baseman until Opening Day.

Ultimately, though, we've reached the point where his shoddy glovework is threatening the value of his bat. Sitting a guy who is second in the National League in hitting, trailing only three-time batting champ Luis Arraez, isn't a real solution. Instead, Pittsburgh is going to have to get creative.

The Pirates can maximize Nick Gonzales's bat if they embrace a complicated balancing act

The good news is the Pirates have finally gotten rid of Marcell Ozuna clogging up the DH spot. That will allow them to cycle several subpar defenders through the spot. Bryan Reynolds will see time there, but so will Brandon Lowe, as well as Gonzales.

Lowe's DH days open up an opportunity for Gonzales to play second base. While the metrics are in conflict as to how well Gonzales handles the keystone (3 OAA and -11 DRS over 730 2/3 innings last year), it's clearly a stronger position for him. That would allow Jared Triolo some run at third, which is probably a net positive for the defense.

Between those days at second and the rotation through the DH spot, Gonzales's struggles at third base can be managed, but he'll still get a healthy dose of reps at third because his bat is that important.

Matchups can dictate lineups, and who Pittsburgh rolls out on the mound can signal which alignment is best. For example, when the Pirates roll out more fly ball-heavy pitchers like Jared Jones and Paul Skenes, they can survive with Gonzales at third because his action will be limited. When more ground ball-focused hurlers like Braxton Ashcraft get the start, it will make more sense to play Gonzales at second or DH.

The fortunate thing is that Gonzales has some versatility, and with that, the Pirates have options. By coming up with a rotation and maximizing each player's skills depending on the situation, the club can find a way to get Gonzales regular at-bats across all three positions. It'll be a balancing act, but it can work out so that the positives outweigh the negatives.

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