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John Madden, the late NFL coach and television analyst, used to take about any opportunity available to profess his love for tight ends. He often said the best offensive set in football history would be one that included five tight ends,
Most everyone is familiar with the five-man infield strategy in baseball. A manager brings an outfielder into the infield to cut off the potential winning run in a do-or-die situation.
Well, it appears that Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington’s affinity for second basemen is reaching Madden-level proportions. It is to the point where you can’t help but wonder if manager Derek Shelton will deploy a seven-man infield at some point in the 2025 season.
The Pirates officially added yet another second baseman Wednesday when they finalized a one-year, $1,525,000 contract with free agent Adam Frazier. Though he is now a utility player, Frazier started at second base for the National League in the 2021 All-Star Game in his final days with the Pirates before being traded to the San Diego Padres.
The signing of Frazier is baffling.
He is a wonderful guy but also 33 and hit just .202/.282/.294 with four home runs in 104 games for the Kansas City Royals. However, Frazier is not close to the player he was when the Pirates traded him.
By my count, the Pirates have 11 players on their 40-man roster who can play second base, including many who have seen regular playing time at the position at some point in their professional careers.
First is Nick Gonzales, the presumptive starter. He led the Pirates with 83 games started at second base last season.
Gonzales was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on May 10 to replace Jared Triolo, who began the season as the primary second baseman. Triolo finished the season with 42 starts at second base and won the National League Gold Glove award for a utility player.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Alika Williams started 15 times each at the keystone. Kiner-Falefa is expected to be the Pirates’ starting shortstop this season while Williams faces an uphill battle in spring training to make the team.
The other seven starts in 2024 went to Nick Yorke, who made his major-league debut on Sept. 16. The 22-year-old’s chances of being on the opening-day roster are clouded by the addition of Frazier.
In addition to the five players who started at second base, Ji-Hwan Bae logged one inning there last year and played 21 games there for Indianapolis. Bae was once considered the Pirates’ potential second baseman of the future until he started being converted to a utility player in 2023.
The list doesn’t end there.
Liover Peguero remains on the 40-man roster. He made 23 starts at second base for the Pirates two years ago and went to spring training in 2024 as the favorite to be the starter before being beaten out for the job by Triolo.
The Pirates acquired Enmanuel Valdez from the Boston Red Sox on Dec. 15. He made 100 starts at second base for the Red Sox over the past two seasons.
Prospect Tsung-Che Cheng has started 89 times at second base in the minor leagues during his four-year career.
Even catcher Endy Rodriguez made 22 starts at second in 2022 in the minor leagues.
Termarr Johnson is generally considered the Pirates’ top hitting prospect despite his .239 batting average since being drafted fourth overall in 2022.
And what position does Johnson play? Second base.
Of course.
More must-reads:
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TODAY'S BEST
Mets Could Steal Massive Star From Their Biggest Rival
In 2024, the New York Mets may have pulled off the biggest jersey swap of all time- acquiring massive free agent Juan Soto on an enormous 15-year, $765 million deal. However, this shouldn’t be the end of the line for New York. The team still has money, and perhaps they can use it to pay for a massive star. Big-Name Free Agent Could Be on the Radar for Mets The Biggest Bat on the Free Agent Market May Not be Kyle Tucker Sure, Kyle Tucker is a younger player with some superstar potential. Some might say that he is a superstar. However, the one very consistent bat is the bat of Kyle Schwarber. Over the last five seasons, Schwarber has hit at least 32 homers. This season is no exception, as he is on pace for 57 home runs. Schwarber strikes out a lot. However, his at-bats usually end in either a homer, a strikeout, or a walk. Schwarber remains one of the most significant game-changing bats on the market. He is heading into his age-33 season, but he reminds many of a Nelson Cruz-type bat. A bat that can last well into the late 30s. Tucker may be a good defender and a possibly excellent bat, but consistency remains on the side of Schwarber. The Mets Shouldn’t Stop at Alonso and Soto Now, the Mets may very well have to contend with another free agency of Pete Alonso. However, if the Mets have learned anything this season, they probably won’t hesitate to sign Alonso, especially with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. off the market. This will leave the Mets with options in free agency. Go big or play it safe and improve minimally. The Mets typically aren’t used to liking Schwarber, who seems to always be on a rival team. However, this doesn’t mean that it is impossible for him to pry away from the Phillies. Sure, the Mets can be content with the signing of Soto and, hopefully, also Alonso. But if New York wants to make the best team ever to play in Queens, New York may very well want to go after some of the bigger names on the market. If many people thought the Mets were in contention for Vladdy, then they can definitely be in contention for Schwarber. The Mets also don’t have a definitive DH, and even with some saying Soto is a potential DH in the future, Soto will likely continue to play the outfield. Schwarber would be a dream DH for New York. Schwarber Will Not Be Easy To Sign, But Neither Was Soto If there is one thing that many have learned over the last few seasons, it is that the Mets don’t just settle. The Mets have made huge trades, huge signings, and more. Schwarber has made it relatively clear that he likes Philly, and even his teammates have expressed that they want him to stay. And of course, Philly is capable of providing the money for Schwarber to stay. However, New York is even more capable. If the Mets make a good trade ahead of the deadline, young players live up to their potential, and the Mets make a big splash in free agency, then New York would be virtually unstoppable. It used to be the New York Yankees that got everything they wanted. Now, there might be a new sheriff in town. The Mets are starting to turn the corner and are becoming the new juggernaut in New York. Perhaps the Soto signing was just the beginning. Signing a free agent away from a bitter rival wouldn’t be easy. However, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time for New York.
Stephanie White Puts Indiana Fever Players on Notice Despite Win Against Aces
The Indiana Fever’s starters turned in a strong all-around effort in Thursday’s 80-70 win over the Las Vegas Aces. The starting unit scored at least 13 points each, save for Aari McDonald, who registered nine points in 22 minutes of action. Indiana’s starters combined for 76 out of the team’s 80 points on the evening, which only means that the four other players who came off the bench accounted for just four points in the game. All that came from Sydney Colson, who went 2-of-5 in 18 minutes of playing time. Lexie Hull, Makayla Timpson and Damiris Dantas all failed to score in the win. Stephanie White Calls Out Fever's Bench Be that as it may, offense wasn’t even the biggest concern for head coach Stephanie White. In her postgame press conference, the veteran shot-caller called out Indiana’s bench for their lack of intensity on the defensive end, particularly in the first half. “Our bench has to be ready,” she said. “I felt like our bench in the second half was really good defensively. In the first half, I didn't feel that way. You got to be ready to come in and you got to be ready to guard your matchup and execute the game plan. "We have depth for a reason. We've got quality depth and we've got to be able to use it. So if fatigue is a factor in execution, then they just need to ask for a sub and I'll get them out and get them back in." It has been a bit of a busy stretch for the Fever at the midway point of the season. Thursday’s matchup against the Aces was their second game in three nights, and they will be back in action again on Sunday in a rivalry showdown against the Chicago Sky. White, however, isn’t accepting fatigue as an excuse. This is regardless of the fact that Caitlin Clark remains out with a re-aggravated groin injury. White is adamant that this roster has been built for adversity, and she didn’t hesitate to put her bench on notice after Thursday’s showing.
New report suggests Christian Wilkins release related to 'incident' with teammate
There may be more to Christian Wilkins’ recent surprise release from the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported Saturday that "some sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in-part into the Raiders' fatigue and release" of Wilkins. The nature of the incident is not clear. However, many believe the Raiders had a very good reason to move on from Wilkins considering the money they had invested in him. It also suggests the Raiders saw no alternative if they went straight to a release. Wilkins was dumped by the Raiders just one year into a four-year, $110 million deal. The Raiders suggested Wilkins failed to take rehab seriously as he tries to work his way back from a foot injury. Other teams do not appear to have the same concerns about Wilkins as the Raiders did, and he should find a new landing spot fairly easily. That is one of the reasons some suspect there is more to the Raiders’ decision than they are publicly saying.
Milwaukee Brewers: Grading Insider’s Proposal of 3.0 WAR Royals Infielder as Joey Ortiz Trade Replacement
The Milwaukee Brewers may or may not make a splash this trade deadline. They may do nothing at all. In what would be a middle-ground but still impactful move, MLB insider Jeff Passan believes they should have a certain Kansas City infielder on their radar: utility man Maikel Garcia. Milwaukee Brewers could find intriguing fit in Royals Swiss Army knife swinger To be clear, Passan knows of no rumblings in Milwaukee about the shortstop position, where Joey Ortiz has been playing better of late amidst what has been overall a disappointing season. Despite his recent improvements at the plate, Ortiz has put up just a .577 OPS. Passan also notes that the Royals aren’t openly shopping Garcia, who has played mostly at third but would likely see most of his time at short for the Brewers. In his view, it’s just a move that could make sense. The Royals certainly seem like sellers. At 52-54, they aren’t close in the AL Central Division race and are four games back in a crowded field of wild card contenders. For Garcia, a 2025 All-Star, it has been a career year. In 103 games, he has slashed .296/.351/.461 with 19 steals and a 3.0 WAR. With his mix of speed, defensive flexibility, and all-around hitting, he seems like a Brewers type of player. In addition to third base, he has played a handful of games at short, second, and outfield. Joey Ortiz remains a weak link on Brewers roster Ortiz, though not unpopular with Brewers fans, has taken a major step back from last season after switching positions. Whatever the eye test may suggest, his defensive metrics aren’t flattering. Per Baseball reference, he has saved -6 runs. The Fielding Bible has him at -5. Following a solid June in the batter’s box, he’s fallen back a bit in July. If the Brewers are looking to fill holes in the lineup, shortstop is the most glaring. There is also, however, a lack of available names at the position, making it harder to address. If Garcia were to become available, he profiles as a solid fit. Would he suffice as an everyday replacement for Ortiz at short? While Garcia has some experience there, he is much better at third. With Caleb Durbin installed at the hot corner, though, the former wouldn’t have much opportunity to start. Brice Turang is also firmly entrenched at second. In the end, then, most of Garcia’s starts would have to come at short and possibly in the outfield here and there. Ortiz would lose playing time but if the Brewers committed to acquiring Garcia, it seems reasonable to imagine that he would have the upper hand as the starting shortstop, while Ortiz assumed more of a bench role alternating between spots on the infield. Grading Maikel Garcia as Brewers trade name Garcia would definitely fortify the backend of the order. Although he too has struggled some in July, he’s picked it up again with three multi-hit games in his last five and it’s hard to ignore his fully body of work this season. He lacks natural homerun power, but has compiled a solid extra base portfolio: 26 doubles and five triples to go with 10 dingers. For comparison, Ortiz has just seven homeruns and 10 doubles while also struggling to reach base. In addition, Garcia is in a favorable salary situation, as he will not hit free agency until 2030. After arbitration ahead of this season, he is making under $800K. Verdict: the move would not a seamless position fit, but Garcia does offer flexibility. Realistically, Ortiz is better off in a reserve utility role. So far he has not measured up to replacement level performance (-0.5 WAR), let alone starting-caliber play. Because of his contract control and career year, Garcia could cost something in the way of prospects. The Brewers would need to cautiously consider what the Royals envision as a fair return package. While Garcia is a valuable player even when he isn’t hitting at the level he is, he is hardly worth parting with top of the line names in the farm system. It’s difficult to fully evaluate a move that hasn’t happened and probably won’t, but as a candidate, Garcia gets a B to B+ grade.
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