Pirates may have finally stumbled onto their best lineup without Oneil Cruz

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup against the Washington Nationals on Sunday was no throwaway Sunday lineup. In fact, it might have been the best version of this offense Pittsburgh has put together since losing Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz to injuries last month.

The Pirates, in the thick of the National League Wild Card race, needed a series win over one of their direct competitors in Washington. Sunday's lineup reflected that urgency, and it delivered in the form of 11 runs in a win over the Nationals.

Konnor Griffin at shortstop. Brandon Lowe at second. Bryan Reynolds at DH. Esmerlyn Valdez in right. Ryan O’Hearn at first. Nick Gonzales at third. Endy Rodríguez behind the plate. Tyler Callihan in left. Jake Mangum in center. That's a lineup capable of putting pressure on opposing pitchers from top to bottom.

Pirates' Sunday lineup vs Nationals should keep them afloat until Oneil Cruz, Spencer Horwitz return

The remarkable part is how many of the Pirates’ fill-ins have done more than just hold down the fort. Mangum entered Sunday hitting .307/.356/.366 on the season and .325/.365/.388 since Cruz went down. Callihan has posted an .826 OPS since being called up on May 28. Jared Triolo — yes, even Jared Triolo — has given the Pirates a respectable .254/.338/.397 line since June 11.

The Pirates don't need the same three players to carry them every night. They're getting legitimate contributions from role players, and that's exactly what good teams do.

The Pirates’ offensive turnaround from last season to this one remains jarring. A year ago, Pittsburgh averaged 3.6 runs per game, dead last in baseball. This season, the Pirates are scoring 5.16 runs per game, third-best in MLB. Somehow, even after losing Cruz and Horwitz, they have actually scored more runs per game over the past month than they did in the month leading up to it.

That speaks to depth, player development and a front office that, at least offensively, finally gave this roster enough functional pieces to withstand injuries to key players. And the scary part? The Pirates are still just scratching the surface of what they are capable of with Griffin in the lineup.

The 20-year-old phenom was just beginning to find his rhythm before his IL stint, and his stellar performance at the plate and in the field Sunday suggests he could be picking up exactly where he left off. If he settles in atop this lineup while Cruz and Horwitz work their way back, the Pirates may have done more than merely survive their injury crunch; they may have accidentally discovered something better.

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