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Pirates shortstop Jared Triolo turns a double play over the Reds’ Tyler Stephenson on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, at PNC Park.
After years of being blocked at third base for the Pittsburgh Pirates by among the finest defenders in baseball, Jared Triolo considered the commerce of Ke’Bryan Hayes as a bittersweet alternative.
Though Triolo is a Gold Glove winner, he’s additionally somebody who research the sport and its finest gamers. Triolo watched intently from the house dugout as 10-time NL Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado took grounders when the St. Louis Cardinals have been on the town, one thing he obtained to do each day whereas being teammates with Hayes.
“You get to look at among the finest third basemen within the sport simply take floor balls and go about his day,” Triolo mentioned Hayes. “Hopefully, I can attempt to implement what I’ve been expecting the final two to 3 years and go on the market and produce like he did.”
So, it was a little bit of a shock to see Triolo beginning 5 of the previous six video games at shortstop and Isiah Kiner-Falefa switching from quick to 3rd base for six of the previous seven video games for the Pirates.
Their place swap is by design, Pirates common supervisor Ben Cherington mentioned, in order that they decide whether or not Triolo is an choice at shortstop subsequent season. The 2024 NL Gold Glove utility defender, Triolo has began extra video games at shortstop (17) this season than he has at third base (14), first base (12) or second base (10). However shortstop is the place Triolo has performed the least in his three seasons with the Pirates.
“We all know he’s an amazing defender,” Cherington mentioned Sunday on his weekly radio present on group flagship 93.7 The Fan. “He’s performed a variety of third, he’s performed a variety of second previously. He’s had somewhat little bit of a possibility at quick. He’s obtained extra this yr, and I believe he’s actually answered the query: Can he play quick? The reply is sure. That doesn’t imply he’s going to be the shortstop subsequent yr. However what it means is we now have some extra confidence within the participant.”
The important thing might be whether or not Triolo can discover consistency on the plate. He’s batting .178 with a .553 OPS this season however has a .267\/.371\/.333 slash line with two doubles and three RBIs within the 9 video games because the July 31 commerce deadline handed.
“Personally, that’s what I wish to emphasize going ahead for the remainder of the season. I’m simply attempting to go up there and have constant at-bats, get on base and rating runs,” mentioned Triolo, who was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Aug. 1 after three weeks within the minors. “Anytime you’re up right here, it’s a possibility to seek out your function with the group. That’s what I’ve obtained right here, so we’ll see what shakes out. I’m simply attempting to cement a task on this group going ahead … so I’ll make the most of the glove.”
Defensively, the Pirates don’t have any issues about Triolo. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder is a plus defender who ranks within the 89th percentile in vary and 77th percentile in fielding run worth, per Baseball Savant. He had seven defensive runs saved – three every at second and third base and two at first base – however was minus-1 DRS in 154 innings at shortstop getting into Sunday’s sport in opposition to Cincinnati, per Sports activities Data Options.
Maybe the particular person most impressed by Triolo’s play at shortstop is his predecessor on the place.
“He’s obtained the dimensions, he’s obtained the arm power to play day by day at shortstop,” mentioned Kiner-Falefa, who had one DRS in 815 innings over 93 begins. “I can do it at a excessive degree. I believe ‘Tri’ may also do it a excessive degree. He has the pedigree of simply being a baseball participant. The dimensions and arm power is large. I believe that’s what separates him from different folks, his arm power.
“He’ll have extra worth, with the ability to play shortstop, to the Pirates. He checks all of the packing containers. He’s going to get some run to indicate what he can do offensively. On the finish of the season, the Pirates are going to should decide. However I believe it is a good alternative for him to get that open run, see if his physique can deal with it and provides them open suggestions for going into subsequent yr.”
Regardless of buying and selling Hayes, who had an MLB-best 65 DRS since 2020, the Pirates have been uniquely positioned to switch him with their alternative of Gold Glove defenders. They’ve used Kiner-Falefa at third base, the place he received the American League Gold Glove in 2020 whereas with the Texas Rangers, in seven of the previous 11 video games.
“He’s obtained the Gold Glove there – him and Tri each have the {hardware},” Pirates supervisor Don Kelly mentioned. “They each have dominated within the infield and accomplished very well for us.”
Kiner-Falefa known as the midseason transfer from shortstop to 3rd base an opportunity to show the worth of his versatility within the ultimate yr of a two-year, $15 million contract, given {that a} potential suitor may view him in his most popular function as a super-utility participant.
“It’s somewhat bizarre, somewhat funky — however that’s what I do finest. Nothing out of the atypical. I really feel like I’m again at residence,” mentioned Kiner-Falefa, who hopes to enhance his .337 slugging proportion as his physique will get a break from the defensive calls for of shortstop. “I really feel like I profile as a complete completely different participant after I’m enjoying third in comparison with shortstop. I’m wanting ahead to the chance to showcase that.”
Cherington heaped excessive reward on the “above-average” play at shortstop by Konnor Griffin, the 19-year-old 2024 first-round draft decide who’s ranked the game’s No. 1 total prospect by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. So the Pirates could possibly be searching for somebody to function stopgap on the place till Griffin, who’s starring at Excessive-A Greensboro, is prepared for the main leagues.
With Triolo and Liover Peguero anticipated to get many of the enjoying time at shortstop, Kiner-Falefa is treating his time at third base as an audition for the beginning job vacated by Hayes being traded. Kiner-Falefa is open to staying with the Pirates, whether or not it’s at third base or elsewhere.
“That’s the place they want probably the most assist proper now,” Kiner-Falefa mentioned. “I can’t management that but it surely is sensible for each side. You allow that as much as the agent and the overall managers. I see a shiny future for this group. I’m going to do every part I can the remainder of the yr to set them on the fitting path. If I’m right here, nice. If not, I hope I helped them. I really feel like I’m a giant a part of this clubhouse and I’ve taken a variety of delight in my relationship with these gamers. It could be good to succeed with them. … The match is there. That’s the largest factor, the match. We’ll see what occurs.”
Cherington believes Triolo’s versatility offers the Pirates an opportunity to be inventive in terms of addressing offseason additions, the place the precedence might be so as to add a run producer to baseball’s least productive offense.
“As we glance to construct the group in 2026, Triolo enjoying shortstop – or, not less than, as a part of a shortstop resolution – is not less than an choice that we will take into account,” Cherington mentioned. “It opens up the choices we have now by way of we’d add again to the infield roster within the offseason, not less than I might count on we’d. And it simply helps to know we’ve obtained these choices with Tri as a result of perhaps the perfect alternative we discover out there’s a third baseman, perhaps it’s a shortstop, perhaps it’s one thing else. That versatility with Tri can actually assist us out in that means.”
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