Fans have made their choice in the Pirates game conversation: Konnor Griffin is the bigger lineup loss than Oneil Cruz, at least in one Bucs Dugout poll that gave him 57% of the vote. Griffin has already started back on the field, returning to action with the Altoona Curve earlier this week after a right elbow strain.
That is why Griffin is back in the spotlight today. The 20-year-old had already given the Pirates a glimpse of what he could do before the injury, hitting.270/.327/.402 with 51 hits, four homers, 22 RBIs and 14 steals in 51 games, a total that ranked 12th in the National League. His absence has been felt in Pittsburgh, where Jared Triolo has taken a majority of the starts at shortstop since Griffin went on the injured list.
The poll result fits the numbers behind Griffin’s rise. Before the strain stopped him, he was one of the more dynamic players in the lineup, and his 14 steals showed the speed that made him hard to ignore. FanDuel Sports Network even listed him at +2000 odds for National League Rookie of the Year honors, a reminder that his profile had climbed quickly enough for fans to weigh him against Cruz as a major loss.
Still, the Pirates have not been dealing with just one absence. Cruz was sent to the injured list with left hand fractures after putting up a.472 slugging percentage, a.264 batting average, 14 homers and 21 steals, and the club has also leaned on Jake Mangum in center since then. Mangum has provided a useful fill-in with a.291 average and.335 on-base percentage, which has softened one problem even as Griffin’s spot at shortstop has remained open.
The next step is simple, even if the timeline is not: Griffin has to keep moving through rehab before Pittsburgh can get him back. His return to game action with Altoona Curve is the first sign of that process, but the Pirates still have to wait for the day he is ready to leave the rehab track and rejoin the major league lineup.
