Pirates Change Entire Infield Before Red Sox Game
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates begin a new series and will have a different infield than the one they had in their last game.
The Pirates have Nick Gonzales at third base, Jared Triolo at shortstop, Brandon Lowe at second base and Rafael Flores Jr. playing first base to round out their infield ahead of the series opener vs. the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park on Aug. 14.
Shortstop Jacob Gonzalez and first baseman Spencer Horwitz started in the 13-1 win over the Miami Marlins in the series finale at loanDepot Park on Aug. 13 and will sit.
Gonzales was at second base, Triolo was at third base, Lowe was at designated hitter and Flores was catcher, making for a new infield for the Pirates.
Why the Pirates Made All These Infield Changes
The Pirates are facing Red Sox left-handed starting pitcher Jake Bennett and they are making adjustments against the southpaw.
Pittsburgh has struggled against left-handed pitching in 2026, batting .243/.310/.380 for an OPS of .690, with a 10-26 record when they face a left-handed starting pitcher this season and 2-9 since the All-Star break.
The Red Sox southpaw has been great against left-handed hitters, with a slash line of .181/.253/.181 for an OPS of .434, so the Pirates won't have left-handed hitters in Gonzalez and Horwitz, while having both right-handed hitters in Flores and Triolo.
Flores was excellent in the win over the Marlins, hitting two home runs, including a three-run home run off of left-handed relief pitcher John King in the eighth inning.
Triolo is also coming off a great game, with a two-run single with the bases loaded and a solo home run, just his second home run of the season.
He has been the best hitter for the Pirates in the second half of 2026, batting .319/.418/.404 for an OPS of .822, with 15 hits in 47 at-bats, one double, one home run, eight RBI, seven walks to 10 strikeouts and three stolen bases.
Gonzales, another right-handed hitter, will move to third base and Lowe, a left-handed hitter who does struggle against lefties, will get a chance to change the narrative against Bennett.
What Pirates Lineup Looks Like vs. Red Sox
Player | Position | Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
Nick Gonzales | Third Base | Right |
Ronny Simon | Designated Hitter | Switch |
Bryan Reynolds | Left Fielder | Switch |
Esmerlyn Valdez | Right Fielder | Right |
Brandon Lowe | Second Base | Left |
Rafael Flores Jr. | First Base | Right |
Jake Mangum | Center Field | Switch |
Jared Triolo | Shortstop | Right |
Henry Davis | Catcher | Right |
Gonzales takes over from Horwitz as the leadoff hitter, Lowe drops down to fifth, hitting in that spot for just the third time this season, while Flores moves up three spots to sixth, the highest he's hit in the lineup this season.
Switch-hitter Ronny Simon will serve as designated hitter for the fourth time this season and bats second, his second time doing so for the Pirates in 2026.
Right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez will hit fourth for the first time in a week, last doing so vs. the New York Mets at PNC Park on Aug. 7, and he's hit better in his past five games, with five hits in 17 at-bats.
Left Fielder Bryan Reynolds bats third, center fielder Jake Mangum bats seventh and Henry Davis is back in at catcher and bats ninth.
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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.