Konnor Griffin Shows Pirates He's Ready for Return
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are close to getting shortstop Konnor Griffin back from injury, and he looks ready for a return.
The Pirates rookie played his second game with Triple-A Indianapolis against Toledo (Detroit Tigers) on the road, with two hits in four at-bats and a walk in the 11-2 road loss on Sept. 2.
Griffin earned his walk on an ABS challenge in his first plate appearance in the first inning, correctly calling a curveball that finished outside.
He then hit a single in the fifth inning off Toledo right-handed pitcher Carl Edwards Jr., 106.6 mph, and another single in the seventh inning, this time off left-handed pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus, 99.1 mph on a slider down and away.
It was a great outing for Griffin, who is nearing his full-return to the Pirates.
Add a pair of hits to KG's performance. 🙂↕️ https://t.co/M6Qa7nH3Z3 pic.twitter.com/eOuaydSork
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) September 3, 2026
Konnor Griffin Recently Starts Rehab Assignment
Griffin started his rehab assignment back on Aug. 30 with Double-A Altoona, where he played seven innings at shortstop and had one hit and two strikeouts in three at-bats in a 7-2 loss to Erie (Tigers) at home.
The Pirates then transferred Griffin's rehab assignment to Indianapolis ahead of this series, with both teams on the road, facing tougher competition.
Griffin's game for Altoona was his first in eight weeks, 56 days, after he tore the sagittal band in his left ring finger.
The Pirates immediately put his three outer fingers in a splint and waited six weeks, eventually came out of it, transitioned to medical tape, then started gripping the bat and putting his left hand back in the glove.
Griffin moved his injury rehab to Bradenton, Fla., ahead of the Pirates' last road trip, which started on Aug. 21, beginning his swinging progression and focusing full-time on getting back healthy.
This most recent game vs. Toledo was the first time he played nine innings at shortstop, as he was the designated hitter in the series opener.
Griffin can rejoin the Pirates as early as Sept. 4, which is the first day he can come off the 60-day injured list.
He should rejoin the Pirates for their series against the Los Angeles Angels at PNC Park, Sept. 4-6, especially with how he's performed.
What the Pirates Have Missed From Griffin
The Pirates haven't had Griffin since July 5, when he hit a two-run single in the eighth inning, giving his team a 6-4 lead in the eventual 11-5 win over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
Griffin showed exactly what makes him the Pirates' star for the future, with timely hitting and some great defensive plays too.
He hit .306/.359/.417 for an OPS of .776 in eight games, after returning from a right forearm flexor strain, not playing for three weeks in June.
Griffin hit his first home run on April 24 and batted .317/.370/.488 for an OPS of .858 before that first injury, showing great improvement.
The Pirates have missed his defense, as he should develop into a Gold Glove Award winner, and also his speed, with 20 stolen bases on 21 attempts.
Pittsburgh is hoping for a late run at the postseason, and they'll need Griffin to be at his best to make that happen.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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.