Pirates May Have Unlocked Nick Gonzales' Best Potential

Gonzales has the third-best batting average in baseball, plus tied for the sixth-most hits and the 19th-best on-base percentage.

He also leads all major league hitters with 15 multi-hit games, his latest coming against the Dodgers, and becoming the first Pirates player to do so since Andrew McCutchen in 2013, when he won National League MVP honors.

“Yeah that’s just kind of a testament to the work I’ve been putting in since honestly last year and throughout the offseason," Gonzales said postgame on his season to SportsNet Pittsburgh. "The hitting department, what they’ve been able to do with me adjustment-wise, it’s been good. Happy to do that and happy to help the team.”

Gonzales got a chance at designated hitter as Pirates manager Don Kelly wanted to give him a day off from the field, doing so previously with both left fielder Bryan Reynolds and second baseman Brandon Lowe, but also with Ryan O'Hearn and Spencer Horwitz too.

“Yeah Nick’s played a lot of games too and just trying to rotate this around with the guys," Kelly said to SportsNetPittsburgh pregame. "Reynolds and Lowe have gotten to DH a bunch with Nick going tonight and we’re going to try and mix it around as much as we can.”

DH Keeps Gonzales From Defensive Struggles

While Kelly may say that he wants to rotate his players and give them chances at designated hitter for rest, there's one clear reason why Gonzales was there vs. the Dodgers.

Gonzales has struggled massively on defense in his career and once again in 2026, starting most of his games at third base.

He has posted -14 defensive runs saved (DRS) and -11 outs above average (OAA), ranking the worst and second-worst marks for any MLB third baseman this season, respectively.

Gonzales is better off at second baseman and probably shortstop, but Lowe is the starting second baseman and Jared Triolo will usually play shortstop, especially with rookie Konnor Griffin there, when not injured.

The Pirates having Gonzales at designated hitter avoids having him making mistakes at third base, puts Triolo there, where he has been Gold Glove-caliber at, and keeps Gonzales' bat in the lineup.

“Yeah, a little different honestly," Gonzales said on moving to designated hitter. "Just hitting, but DH’d in the minor leagues and just guess, just go and think about your at-bats a little bit more, but have a little more time to get ready for them and kind of overthink sometimes. Just trying to do what I can.”

His two RBI-singles against the Dodgers show this and will give him a chance to start hitting better in August, after batting just .263/.344/.333 for an OPS of .677.

“Yeah that’s good. Obviously, that’s what I’m there to do," Gonzales said. "Drive some runs in, so it’s nice to do that.”