Pirates Slugger Makes Outfield Return After Injury
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates outfield that started the season hasn't been the same for some time, but that's changing ahead of their upcoming game.
Ryan O’Hearn will make his first start in RF in almost three weeks, as the Pirates face the Houston Astros in the series finale at Daikin Park on June 4.
O’Hearn suffered a right quad muscle strain back playing first base on May 16, which landed him on the 10-day injured list a day later on May 17.
The Pirates brought him back off the injured list on May 31 and he has served as designated hitter and at first base, but this is his first test back in the outfield.
How O’Hearn has Done in the Outfield this Season
O’Hearn had only started 77 of 81 games in his eight-year MLB career prior to joining the Pirates this offseason.
When O’Hearn signed with the Pirates, he likely expected to serve mostly as designated hitter and play first base, while also featuring in both corner outfield spots
The Pirates then signed Marcell Ozuna as designated hitter a month afterwards, which meant that O’Hearn would have to play in the outfield, as Ozuna can’t play anywhere but designated hitter.
O’Hearn has done a fine job adjusting to play in right field, working with Oneil Cruz in center field and Bryan Reynolds in left field.
He won’t make the greatest defensive plays of all-time, but O’Hearn is minimizing the mistakes and just making the routine plays needed in his position.
O'Hearn maybe had his most interesting game in right field against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on May 10.
He made two big catchers to send the game into extra innings, but then had a couple mistakes late on in the 7-6 defeat.
"You go and you try to make every play," O'Hearn said on his work in right field after that game. "The effort's there, obviously. I’ve been working hard trying to improve defensively. I feel like I'm a good outfielder for the most part. Really one play there that I wish I would have made, but it is what it is."
The Pirates have O’Hearn in right field for his bat and he’s definitely come through in that regard, slashing .290/.368/.467 for an OPS of .835, with 49 hits, six doubles, eight home runs and 30 RBI.
How the Rest of the Pirates Lineup Shapes Up
Player | Position | Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
Spencer Horwitz | First Base | Left |
Brandon Lowe | Second Base | Left |
Bryan Reynolds | Designated Hitter | Switch |
Ryan O'Hearn | Right Field | Left |
Nick Gonzales | Third Base | Right |
Oneil Cruz | Center Field | Left |
Endy Rodríguez | Catcher | Switch |
Jake Mangum | Left Field | Switch |
Jared Triolo | Shortstop | Right |
The Pirates lineup has been fantastic in recent games, scoring at least nine runs in the past four games and hitting a home run in the past 10 straight contests.
Pittsburgh will keep the same three at the top of the batting order in first baseman Spencer Horwitz, second baseman Brandon Lowe and Reynolds.
O’Hearn comes back in at fourth, which moves third baseman Nick Gonzales down to fifth and Cruz down to sixth in the lineup
Reynolds moves from left field to designated hitter, as he takes over from Ozuna, who makes it six out of the last seven games he hasn't started.
Jake Mangum takes over from Reynolds in left field and Endy Rodríguez comes in at catcher for Henry Davis, who hit his first career grand slam in the 11-9 defeat on June 3.
Rodríguez bats seventh, Mangum bats eighth and shortstop Jared Triolo bats ninth to complete the Pirates lineup.
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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.