Late December look at how the lineup and bench are falling into place

With the signing of Andrew McCutchen, how is the roster shaping up in December?

Photo Credit: WTM

December is coming to a close, and the Pirates continue to make moves to try and get all the pieces in place for their push to improve upon their 76-win 2023 season.

They’ve brought back Andrew McCutchen on a one-year deal, and the plan is for him to venture out in the field more than before his injury in 2023. They’ve also added a few other names through free agency and trade.

As we get closer to the new year and a new season, let’s look at how the lineup is currently shaping up.

The locks

SS Oneil Cruz

CF Jack Suwinski

LF Bryan Reynolds

DH/RF Andrew McCutchen

3B Ke’Bryan Hayes

Two of the five there have the biggest contracts in the franchise’s history, so it’s not a surprise seeing them here. Hayes really came on at the end of the year offensively and won his first Gold Glove this off-season.

Cruz will return after missing most of the season due to an injury. He doesn’t have nearly the track record the rest do, but shortstop is his unless something drastic happens.

The catcher situation

Henry Davis

Ali Sanchez

Jason Delay

With Endy Rodriguez set to miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, it opens the door for Davis to be the everyday catcher in 2024.

It also helps avoid the awkward question of whether or not to send your former first-overall pick back to Triple-A at 24 years old to work on his defense despite being drafted and promoted to the majors due to his bat.

Now, knowing that Davis will likely handle the bulk of the catching duties, Delay lines up better as the backup - if that was ever actually in doubt or not is the question. A player who has established himself as a major league backup seems ideal.

Potential Platoons

Right Field - Depending on who else they add, this could turn into a platoon, or if someone steps up and claims it as their own, that could help their roster flexibility.

Edward Olivares may get the first opportunity to take the position for himself, with McCutchen having an option to fill in occasionally. Connor Joe’s time in right field narrowly beat out how much he played at first, but he could be more of a platoon option at the latter.

Josh Palacios was as clutch as they came last year, but he only had a wRC+ of 83 with the Pirates. Canaan Smith-Njigba didn’t hit well in his first and only stint in the majors last year but put a solid season together in Indianapolis. Either could be an option off the bench or even someone who only faces righties.

First Base - Rowdy Tellez was signed, hoping to find the magic from his 35-home run in the 2022 season. Even so, 31 of those home runs came against righties, and he slipped even further into being strictly a platoon-only guy.

After adding Ji-Man Choi and Carlos Santana last off-season, I can’t imagine the plan was for Joe to play at first as much as he did, but his .820 OPS against lefties could make him the perfect tandem to go with Tellez.

Key position battle - Second base

This may be the most open competition, granted there isn’t some trade that includes one of them.

Of players on the 40-man roster, Ji-Hwan Bae spent more time at second than anyone else in 2023, followed by Nick Gonzales, Liover Peguero, and Jared Triolo.

Bae could also factor into the outfield picture, pushing him out of this position battle. Gonzales really struggled to make contact in the majors, and while Triolo won a Gold Glove in the minors at third base, his experience at second is a little more limited, and his value could also come through versatility.

Peguero hit 20 home runs and stole 27 bases when he factored in his minor-league numbers. He may be the best combination of skill sets, although his free-swinging at the plate could limit him.

Bench make up

Alika Williams may be a sneaky player to watch as a bench player, solely for his glove and ability to play shortstop. The Pirates scrambled to find an answer defensively when Cruz went down last year.

If you work with a four-player bench, versatility will matter more if they have to platoon two positions. Triolo played every infield position except shortstop in the majors but saw time there in the minors.

Who would be the backup center fielder is another question, but with the current construction of the roster, it would point to Bae. The Pirates signed Gilberto Celestino to a minor league deal. They can play center, but he must first find his way onto the 40-man.

The Pirates may already have the majority of the puzzle pieces they will be working with to put together their 26-man roster, it’s just a matter of finding a way to get them all to fit.