Pirates Make Surprising Leadoff Hitter Change Before Cardinals Game
In this story:
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates take on the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend and made an intriguing lineup change at leadoff hitter.
The Pirates made shortstop Jared Triolo their leadoff hitter against the Cardinals in the series opener at Busch Stadium on Aug. 28.
Triolo will hit leadoff for just the fourth time this season, last doing so against the Detroit Tigers at PNC Park on Aug. 17, an 8-5 loss.
It's a change that comes after both first baseman Spencer Horwitz and infielder Nick Gonzales hit leadoff in the previous eight games, and one that could benefit them in a big series against the Cardinals.
Why Jared Triolo Will Lead Off vs. Cardinals
While this is just the fourth time that Triolo has hit leadoff for the Pirates in 2026, it is the third time this month, also doing so against the Boston Red Sox at PNC Park on Aug. 16, an 8-3 win.
The Pirates faced left-handed starting pitching in both of those games, Framber Valdez for the Tigers and Patrick Sandoval for the Red Sox, while they faced southpaw Robbie Ray, then with the San Francisco Giants, in a 5-2 loss at Oracle Park on May 8, in the first game that Triolo hit leadoff.
Pittsburgh faces another left-handed starting pitcher in this one, as the Cardinals have Quinn Matthews taking the mound.
Triolo is a right-handed hitter, and the Pirates have struggled against left-handed starting pitching in 2026, with a 13-29 record this season and 5-12 following the All-Star break.
He has hit better against left-handed pitching, .269/.331/.315 for an OPS of .645 this season, but hasn't done well in the leadoff role, with just two hits in 18 at-bats.
Triolo hasn't hit that impressively in August, .236/.323/.291 for an OPS of .614, as the Pirates offense as a whole has struggled.
This is the first meeting between Triolo and Matthews, with the latter making his fourth start in his MLB career as a rookie.
Pirates manager Don Kelly is likely hoping Triolo can get things going early for his team, turn things around and attack a young pitcher on the mound.
Pirates Lineup vs. Cardinals
Player | Position | Batting Side |
|---|---|---|
Jared Triolo | Shortstop | Right |
Esmerlyn Valdez | Right Field | Right |
Bryan Reynolds | Designated Hitter | Switch |
Oneil Cruz | Center Fielder | Left |
Nick Gonzales | Second Base | Right |
Rafael Flores Jr. | First Base | Right |
Jake Mangum | Left Fielder | Switch |
Nick Yorke | Third Base | Right |
Henry Davis | Catcher | Right |
The Pirates have just one left-handed batter in their lineup, with center Fielder Oneil Cruz batting fourth.
They have six right-handed hitters and two switch-hitters in Bryan Reynolds and Jake Mangum, who will hit third and seventh in the lineup, respectively.
Cruz has done a great job against left-handed pitching this season, an area of his game he worked diligently on this offseason, slashing .284/.330/.477 for an OPS of .807 in 2026.
Right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez moves to second in the batting order for the seventh time this season, while Reynolds moves to designated hitter and Mangum takes his spot in left field, completing the Pirates' outfield.
Horwitz and Brandon Lowe are both left-handed hitters who struggle against southpaws and are on the bench versus the Cardinals.
Rafael Flores Jr. takes over at first base and hits sixth, while Nick Gonzales moves to second base and moves up to fifth in the lineup.
Nick Yorke comes in at third base and Henry Davis comes in at catcher, with both hitting eighth and ninth in the lineup, respectively.
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.