Pirates’ Third Base Situation Already Starting to Solve Itself

The Pittsburgh Pirates entered 2026 with some uncertainty on the left side of the infield. Jared Triolo lined up as the Bucs’ shortstop, with Nick Gonzales and Nick Yorke as their answer at third base. The Pirates attempted multiple times this offseason to acquire another third baseman. However, they came up short on their free agent pursuits of Kazuma Okamoto and Eugenio Suárez, and did not pull the trigger on a trade for Houston Astros’ corner infielder Isaac Paredes. However, while it is still early in the season, the Pirates’ third base problems are already looking like they’re solving themselves.

Pirates’ Third Base Situation Becoming Smoother Than Expected

With Konnor Griffin now in the major leagues, the Pirates don’t have to send Triolo out to shortstop, and can instead put him at his best position. Triolo has exceptional defense at third base. Over 1,105 2/3 innings at the hot corner, Triolo has +13 defensive runs saved and +9 outs above average since making his MLB debut in 2023. Triolo is currently on the injured list and won’t be activated for “weeks,” according to Pirates’ GM Ben Cherington.

Internal Options are Holding Their Own

However, the Pirates’ other third base options have done well for themselves in the early stages of 2026. Nick Yorke has 20 plate appearances with seven hits, four walks, and only three strikeouts. However, the bottom line in a small sample size isn’t the most important thing. Yorke has a low whiff rate of just 14.3%. For reference, only 12 qualified hitters in 2025 had a whiff percentage below 15%. He is also not chasing outside the zone very frequently, with a 20.5% chase rate. Mike Trout had a 20.5% chase rate in 2025 and was in the top 95th percentile of qualified hitters.