Building the best post-trade deadline lineup for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Bryan Reynolds, Left Field

The overall best hitter on the Pirates this season has been All-Star Bryan Reynolds. The Pirates need to have Reynolds batting second, as he can get on base for the sluggers behind him or move up McCutchen in front of him. He has been a consistently great bat in the order, and someone who the Pirates can count on.

This season, Reynolds has showed off his power with 18 home runs, 20 doubles, and three triples, which has led to a slugging percentage of .476. That slugging percentage headlines an OPS of .827, along with an on-base percentage of .351. He also has driven in 61 runs, and his wRC+ is at 130.

Reynolds is not just getting lucky, either. His expected batting average is at .281 and his expected slugging percentage is at .489, which both rank in the 86th percentile. Reynolds' batting run value of 20 is impressively ranked in the 91st percentile.

Reynolds is a big part of this team's success and needs to continue to bat second.

Oneil Cruz, Shortstop

In the third spot of the order, Oneil Cruz will lead the charge. Cruz has been an overall excellent player this season for the Pirates and is also coming off an exceptional month of July. His defense has been shaky at times, but it has overall improved from his rookie season, along with his bat.

This season, Cruz has hit for a lot of power, with 22 doubles, 17 home runs, and two triples, which has generated his OPS of .758. His slugging carries that OPS, as it sits at .458, and his on-base percentage lags behind at .301. Being aggressive at the plate has helped him drive in 61 runs, but has also led him to a 33.1% strikeout rate.

Cruz continues to impress the baseball world with his ability to rack up hard-hit balls, which come at a 53.4% rate. His average exit velocity is also at 95.3 miles per hour, and that ranks in the 99th percentile. His slugging percentage is already impressive, but his expected slugging percentage is even higher at .495.

The Pirates' young star shortstop should remain the team's No. 3 hitter, and that is the best for the team.