Pirates roster moves may hide subtle message

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Davis Wendzel. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Pirates roster moves may hide subtle message

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Jun 7, 2026 1:51 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates have dropped the first two games in a three-game series to the Atlanta Braves and will try to prevent the sweep Sunday afternoon.

Since May 31 (six games), the Pirates have played .500 baseball (3-3) and have had their middle infield get battered and bruised. Shortstop Konnor Griffin was placed on the injured list on May 31 with a right forearm strain, while second baseman Brandon Lowe left the game on June 6 after he fouled a ball off his right knee.

According to general manager Ben Cherington (h/t 93.7 The Fan), Lowe's knee was negative for any fracture, and he will be day-to-day. Despite the good news on Lowe, who leads the team in home runs (15) and OPS (.848), the bigger concern is: When will Griffin return?

The Pirates call up an infielder, which could mean Konnor Griffin will be out longer

Ahead of their series finale with the Braves, the Pirates selected the contract of infielder Davis Wendzel from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia to make space on the active roster. To clear room for Wendzel on the 40-man roster, the Pirates moved right-hander Chris Devenski to the 60-day injured list.

ROSTER MOVES: We have selected the contract of INF Davis Wendzel from Triple-A Indianapolis and optioned OF Jhostynxon Garcia to Indianapolis.

RHP Chris Devenski was transferred from the 15- to the 60-day injured list to make room for Wendzel on the 40-man roster.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 7, 2026

Wendzel has been a primary third baseman in his minor league career (176 games, 167 starts), but has been deployed as a shortstop for Indianapolis this season (24 games, 24 starts). The 29-year-old has big league experience (27 games with the Texas Rangers in 2024) and has found success this season -- ranking second on the team in home runs (nine) and third in RBI (34).

Since Griffin's absence, the Pirates have used Jared Triolo as their shortstop. Triolo has -18 defensive runs saved and committed two errors in 134.0 innings at shortstop; the Pirates called up Griffin to the big leagues because of how poorly Triolo had been playing.

With no update on when Griffin will return -- the last came on May 31 when he was placed on the injured list with the timeline for him to "spend minimal time on IL" -- the Pirates may continue to play Triolo at shortstop.

The move to call up Wendzel could prove the opposite is true. It could also mean the team may be without Griffin for longer than expected.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. When I’m not writing, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

More must-reads: