Pirates suddenly face brutal lineup choice as Jared Triolo nears return

The Pittsburgh Pirates are about to run into a problem every winning team eventually hopes to have: there simply may not be enough lineup spots for everyone who deserves to play.

With Jared Triolo nearing a return from the injured list after a strong rehab performance at Double-A Altoona, the Pirates suddenly face a difficult decision that looked almost impossible to imagine a few weeks ago. Because while Triolo was sidelined, Nick Gonzales forced himself into the lineup conversation permanently.

At this point, taking Gonzales out of the lineup would be downright irresponsible. The former first-round pick is hitting .486 over his last nine games and owns a team-best .330 batting average. More importantly, he’s become one of the Pirates’ only reliable run producers in big situations, hitting .440 with runners in scoring position while driving in 15 runs in those spots. That kind of production plays anywhere.

And Gonzales isn’t doing it while locked into one defensive role, either. He’s played second base, shortstop and third base already this season, embracing the exact kind of versatility the Pirates envisioned when they insisted all winter he’d still have a major role even after acquiring Brandon Lowe.

Now the problem becomes figuring out where everyone fits.

Nick Gonzales has hit his way into an everyday role as Jared Triolo looks destined for Pirates bench

There really isn’t a path to everyday shortstop at the moment because Konnor Griffin has already taken control of that position. The 19-year-old phenom looks entirely comfortable in the majors, and the Pirates are not pulling him out of the lineup.

Second base belongs to Lowe, who has been one of Pittsburgh’s best hitters when healthy. That leaves third base, where Gonzales has quietly become far more comfortable than many expected. He may never be a Gold Glove defender there, but the offensive production more than compensates for it — especially on a team that still desperately needs consistent bats.

Which brings the spotlight back to Triolo. His defensive value is legitimate, and the Pirates clearly trust him across the infield. But before the injury, he was hitting .217 in limited action, and it’s difficult to justify displacing Gonzales for a glove-first player while Gonzales is carrying the offense.

The most logical roster casualty when Triolo returns is probably Billy Cook, who still has minor league options and hasn’t carved out a consistent role. As for Triolo, the Pirates may have no choice but to use him as a super-utility bench piece for now.

That’s a credit to Gonzales. He didn’t just survive the opportunity created by injury; he made himself impossible to bench.

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