Pirates Make Big Outfield Adjustment Before Cardinals Game
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are figuring out new ways to configure their outfield and have a new trio ahead of their upcoming game.
Rookie Jhostynxon Garcia will start in center field for the Pirates against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on May 20, marking his second straight game in the outfield for the Pirates.
Oneil Cruz will move to designated hitter for just his third start there in 2026 and Jake Mangum will take over in right field, where Garcia started in the series opener on May 19.
Bryan Reynolds stays in left field, but the Pirates are clearly looking for ways to find the best outfield for the future.
Why the Pirates Are Making Outfield Changes
The Pirates have mostly had the same three players in the outfield, with Reynolds in left field, Cruz in center field and then Ryan O'Hearn in right field.
O'Hearn went on the 10-day injured list with a right quad muscle strain that he suffered in the 6-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park on May 16. That injury is one that will take time for O'Hearn to fully recover from, with a potential four-week return timeline.
The Pirates got Mangum back from the 10-day injured list the same day they placed O'Hearn on it and they sent utility man Nick Yorke down after the Phillies series to bring up Garcia.
Garcia has mostly played in center field in his professional career, with 237 games played there in the minor leagues, compared to 86 games in right field and 26 games in left field.
He can play all three spots, but center field is where he'll have his best success defensively.
Cruz will likely spend most of his time in center field, but the Pirates will want to find ways to give him a break, but keep his bat in the lineup. This also applies to Reynolds, who will serve as designated hitter at times as well.
Pirates designated hitter Marcell Ozuna has also struggled this season, which if that continues, the Pirates will turn to Cruz and Reynolds there more often as well, letting players like Garcia, Mangum and even Jared Triolo spend more time in the outfield.
How Pirates Lineup Looks Vs. Cardinals
Player | Position | Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
Nick Gonzales | Third Base | Right |
Brandon Lowe | Second Base | Left |
Bryan Reynolds | Left Field | Switch |
Oneil Cruz | Designated Hitter | Left |
Spencer Horwitz | First Base | Left |
Konnor Griffin | Shortstop | Right |
Endy Rodríguez | Catcher | Switch |
Jhostynxon Garcia | Center Field | Right |
Jake Mangum | Right Field | Switch |
The Pirates are facing Cardinals right-handed starting pitcher Michael McGreevy, which means they'll have more of a standard lineup.
Second baseman Brandon Lowe is back to hitting second, after hitting seventh last game, while Spencer Horwitz returns to first base and hits fifth in the batting order, his third time doing so in 2026.
Third baseman Nick Gonzales stays as the leadoff man for the second straight game, while Cruz moves up one spot to fourth.
Shortstop Konnor Griffin hits sixth, while Garcia and Mangum round out the lineup, batting eighth and ninth, respectively.
Endy Rodríguez takes over at catcher and bats seventh for the Pirates and will work with right-handed starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski in this game.
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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.