Pirates Make Konnor Griffin Lineup Change Before Angels Game
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — Konnor Griffin is back with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and they're using him in a different spot to get the most out of him.
The Pirates have Griffin leading off against the Los Angeles Angels at PNC Park on Sept. 5, after he hit sixth in the 1-0 series opener win on Sept. 4.
Griffin is in just his second game back after the Pirates reinstated him from the 60-day injured list ahead of the Angels series, marking his first game back in two months.
The Pirates hope that Griffin can give the offense what they need, after scoring just one run the day prior, which came thanks to Griffin's great speed on the basepaths.
Why Griffin is Leading Off vs. Angels
Griffin has hit in the leadoff spot nine times prior in 2026, so this isn't the first time that he's done it.
He first led off in the 12-1 win over the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on May 26, then led off in all eight games between his first injury, right forearm flexor strain, and his second injury, left ring finger sagittal band tear, June 26 to July 5.
Griffin has had success in the leadoff spot, .306/.359/.417 for an OPS of .776, with 11 hits in 36 at-bats, one double, one home run, 3 RBI and six stolen bases.
The Pirates are also facing left-handed starting pitcher, Angels' Yusei Kikuchi, so manager Don Kelly thought it'd be good to have Griffin leading off.
“Today thing, and we’ll see how it goes," Kelly said. "We’ve had him up there right before he got hurt. There were some games that he led off, so we’re just taking it day-by-day. Today against a lefty. Love to have him at the top.”
The Pirates have struggled against left-handed pitching in 2026, 14-30 overall and 6-13 since the All-Star break, so having a right-handed bat in Griffin also makes sense.
Pirates Lineup vs. Angels
Player | Position | Batting Order |
|---|---|---|
Konnor Griffin | Shortstop | Right |
Esmerlyn Valdez | Right Fielder | Right |
Bryan Reynolds | Left Fielder | Switch |
Oneil Cruz | Designated Hitter | Left |
Nick Gonzales | Second Base | Right |
Rafael Flores Jr. | Catcher | Right |
Jared Triolo | Third Base | Right |
Jake Mangum | Center Fielder | Switch |
Nick Yorke | First Base | Right |
The Pirates have six right-handed batters, along with Griffin, plus two switch-hitters and one left-handed hitter against Kikuchi.
Designated hitter Oneil Cruz is the lone left-handed batter, hitting .303/.355/.485 for an OPS of .840 against southpaws, a massive improvement from his struggles in 2025.
The two switch-hitters are left fielder Bryan Reynolds and center fielder Jake Mangum, while Esmerlyn Valdez returns to right field to complete the Pirates' outfield.
Nick Gonzales moves to second base in place of Brandon Lowe, and Nick Yorke takes over first base from Spencer Horwitz, with both Lowe and Horwitz being left-handed hitters who struggle against southpaws.
Jared Triolo is also at third base in place of Jacob Gonzalez, a left-handed hitter, and Rafael Flores Jr. is the catcher for Braxton Ashcraft for the fifth straight game.
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.