Pirates Make Bold Konnor Griffin Lineup Decision For Rockies Game
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have the best prospect in baseball in shortstop Konnor Griffin and are giving him a big opportunity in his next game.
Griffin will hit second in the batting order for the Pirates against the Colorado Rockies on May 13, marking the highest in a lineup he's ever been before.
The Pirates are switching Griffin and second baseman Brandon Lowe in the batting order, with Lowe hitting seventh, as they face Rockies left-handed starting pitcher José Quintana. Griffin, a right-handed batter, is a better matchup than Lowe, a left-handed batter.
Griffin has never hit this high in the lineup before, but he could make a big step forward in his career with a good showing in this game.
A Look at Griffin's Rookie Season
Griffin made his MLB debutaa back on April 3 and soon signed a record, nine-year, $140 million contract extension on April 8, inking his future with the Pirates for the long-term.
He has slashed .248/.313/.388 for an OPS of .701 in 36 games, with 32 hit in 129 at-bats, five doubles, two triples, three home runs, 19 RBI, 11 walks to 40 strikeouts and nine stolen bases on nine attempts.
Griffin turning 20 years old on April 24 has seemingly turned him into a great hitter, as he also crushed his first home run on his birthday in the 6-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field.
He has slashed .317/.380/.540 for an OPS of .920 in 17 games since his birthday, with 20 hits in 63 at-bats, nine runs scored, three doubles, a triple, three home runs, 11 RBI, five stolen bases and seven walks to 18 strikeouts.
Griffin hasn't hit higher than sixth in the lineup for the Pirates, doing so five times, while hitting in the seventh spot nine times and in the eighth spot 20 times.
It's likely that Griffin will go back to hitting towards the bottom of the lineup, especially with how strong the Pirates lineup has been in 2026, but a great showing here may convince Pirates manager Don Kelly to give him more opportunities higher up.
Pirates Lineup vs. the Rockies
Player | Position | Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
Oneil Cruz | Center Fielder | Left |
Konnor Griffin | Shortstop | Right |
Bryan Reynolds | Left Fielder | Switch |
Marcell Ozuna | Designated Hitter | Right |
Ryan O'Hearn | Right Fielder | Left |
Nick Gonzales | Third Baseman | Right |
Brandon Lowe | Second Baseman | Left |
Jared Triolo | First Baseman | Right |
Henry Davis | Catcher | Right |
The Pirates are going with just three left-handed batters vs. the Rockies and Quintana, with center fielder Oneil Cruz leading off, right fielder Ryan O'Hearn hitting fifth and Lowe batting seventh.
Lowe has struggled against left-handed hitting, slashing .158/.214/.316 for an OPS of .530, with six hits in 38 at-bats and 14 strikeouts
Jared Triolo will make his first start at first base this season, taking over from Spencer Horwitz, who also struggles against southpaws.
The Pirates will mostly keep the rest of the lineup the same, with Nick Gonzales at third base, Marcell Ozuna at designated hitter, Bryan Reynolds in left field and Henry Davis at catcher.
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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.