First Base, Connor Joe
Connor Joe has been the leading hitter in the Pirates offense this season. Joe was acquired last offseason and has been a solid hitter ever since. This season, Joe has a batting average of .296 with six home runs and 22 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of .868, which includes an on-base percentage of .364 and a slugging percentage of .504.
Joe has a very impressive wRC+ of 145, which is 45 points above the league average. Last year, Joe struck out at a rate of 23.3% and walked at a rate of 10.6%. This year, he has begun being more aggressive at the plate and it has allowed him to drop both of them down. His strikeout percentage is down to 17.9% and his walk percentage is down to 9.3%. He still is walking a decent amount, but the drop in strikeouts is very significant.
Situationally, Joe excels when runners are on base. When runners are in scoring position, Joe has a batting average of .400 with two home runs and 16 runs batted in. He also has an OPS of 1.174, which includes an on-base percentage of .488 and a slugging percentage of .686. This is all in 35 at-bats.
When runners are on base, Connor Joe hits so much better. The clean-up spot in the order is perfect for Joe as he has the best chance to hit with runners on base. While unconventional, it is what will work best for this team currently.