Why RF Platoon Could Work for Pirates
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The Pittsburgh Pirates, despite having plenty of holes on their roster, have shown little to no urgency in regard to filling them mere weeks before pitchers and catchers are set to report to spring training.
Though no one realistically expected Pittsburgh to open up its checkbooks and suddenly make a big splash in free agency, the lack of any sort of improvements is a punch to the gut for the fan base and current roster alike as they look to compete in what should be a wide-open NL Central.
Coming into the offseason, the Pirates were in need of a serious upheaval in right field. In 2024, players at that position for the team hit .218/.291/.329 with an MLB-low 19 home runs and a wRC+ of 73 that only ranked better than the Colorado Rockies.
Pittsburgh has reportedly registered interest in the likes of free agents Randal Grichuk and Alex Verdugo as potential solutions, but the true answer may already lie on its roster.
Joshua Palacios is currently pencilled in as the starter in right for the Pirates after slashing .236/.291/.398 to go with 12 homers and 49 RBIs over 114 games with the club since 2023.
While those numbers are rather pedestrian, there's more than meets the eye with Palacios. As a left-handed batter, he's struggled against southpaws with Pittsburgh to the tune of a .634 OPS and 69 wRC+ across 67 plate appearances.
Versus right-handed arms, however, Palacios has posted a .703 OPS over that same stretch, with that number jumping up to .712 alongside a 104 wRC+ in 66 trips to the plate last season.
Additionally, his hard-hit, chase and walk percentages of 47.3, 22.4 and 12.8, respectively, were all well above-average in 2024, which bodes well for his future prospects. Palacios has proven that he can hold his own in the major leagues, though platooning him might be necessary for the Pirates in order to derive the most value.
That's where Billy Cook enters the picture. Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles at last year's trade deadline for right-handed pitcher Patrick Reilly, the former 10th-round pick recorded a .875 OPS in 30 contests with Triple-A Indianapolis before earning a call-up to the big leagues in September.
In 16 games and 49 PAs for Pittsburgh, Cook batted .225/.225/.449 with three home runs and 8 RBIs. During that span, the 26-year-old was responsible for a 1.200 OPS in 10 PAs versus left-handers.
A right-handed hitter, Cook slashed .301/.436/.566 against lefties in the minor leagues last season. While he would benefit from cutting down on his strikeouts, his two Defensive Runs Saved in just 27 right field innings for the Pirates last season as well as his ability to mash against southpaws could make him a perfect pairing with Palacios.
While Pittsburgh may still look to bring in an established veteran either via trade or a signing, a Palacios and Cook platoon could emerge as the most sensible option in right field heading into the year.
Jack is a New Jersey native who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh as a Media & Professional Communications major in 2024 who is now covering the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Yankees for On SI.