Pirates Star Returns vs. Cardinals
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will have one of their stars back in the lineup in their second game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park.
Bryan Reynolds, who didn't play in his first game of the season in the series opener for the Cardinals, is back at designated hitter for the Pirates.
Reynolds played the previous six games, both three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on the road and the home opening series vs. the New York Yankees, at designated hitter. He also played right field three times and designated hitter once vs. in the first series of the season vs. the Miami Marlins.
He has primarily played designated hitter instead of in outfield, as he has dealt with right tricepssoreness, which is keeping him from fielding, but he can still hit.
Jack Suwinski will both leadoff and play in left field for the second time this season. He led off against the Rays on April 1 and played left field in his last start vs. the Yankees on April 5.
Enmanuel Valdez will take over at first base for the third time in the past four games and the fifth time this season. Endy Rodríguez moves from first base to catcher, taking over for Joey Bart, playing catcher for the fourth time. Valdez will hit fifth and Rodríguez will hit seventh.
Tommy Pham will start in right field for the first time this season, as he started at left field nine times so far. He will also hit sixth in the lineup.
Ke'Bryan Hayes moves from leadoff to fourth in the lineup, while Oneil Cruz stays at centerfield and moves back to third in the lineup.
Adam Frazier and Isiah Kiner-Falefa will play second base and shorstop again, respectively, but Frazier moves back to eighth in the lineup, while Kiner-Falefa returns to the final spot.
Paul Skenes will also get his third start for the Pirates, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m.
Pittsburgh Pirates Starting Lineup vs. the St. Louis Cardinals
LF Jack Suwinski
DH Bryan Reynolds
CF Oneil Cruz
3B Ke'Bryan Hayes
1B Enmanuel Valdez
RF Tommy Pham
C Endy Rodríguez
2B Adam Frazier
SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.