Kevin Gorman's Take 5: Pirates can't wait to get Gregory Polanco's bat back in lineup - TribLIVE

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The news that Gregory Polanco has been cleared to resume workouts and could return to play soon couldn’t come at a better time for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Manager Derek Shelton was careful to remind us not to get reactionary because it’s only been two games, but the first three batters in the Pirates’ order are a combined 2 for 24 with one walk and two strikeouts.

After the 9-1 loss at St. Louis on Saturday afternoon, the Pirates are one of three teams in MLB with an 0-2 record (Arizona and Seattle are the others). So, Shelton is still searching for his first win as manager.

“You can magnify it because it is a shorter season,” Shelton said. “But the most important thing is, these guys are going to hit. They’re going to have better at-bats. We just have to get our feet on the ground and get going.”

In a 60-game season, the Pirates don’t have much time to get going. In an ironic twist, Pirates fans are now pining for the return of Polanco, a frequent whipping boy. Polanco could be just the boost the batting order needs.

This lineup really, really misses Gregory Polanco

— Rum Bunter (@rumbunter) July 25, 2020

1. Pick a spot: We already know where Polanco will play, as the Pirates have tried to make do in right field with Guillermo Heredia (0 for 7 with three Ks) and Cole Tucker, who misplayed a fly ball at the wall Saturday.

But it’s Polanco’s bat that the Pirates need. In spring training, he slashed .381/.519/.667 with three doubles and a home run in nine games. More important, he drew nine walks. Problem is, that was four-plus months ago.

Polanco was swinging the bat well in training camp before testing positive for covid-19, so it’s a matter of getting his timing back after a two-week break.

The big question: Where will Shelton put Polanco in the order?

Obviously, it will be in the middle.

2. Don’t tinker: Shelton could slide Josh Bell up to the three-hole, but Bell batted cleanup in his career year last season so it might be best not to tinker. That appears to be a better spot for Polanco, who has a career slash line of .274/.331/.503 batting third but is batting .228 in the four spot and .233 batting fifth.

It might not be fair to Frazier to drop him after only a handful of games, but he hits for average almost anywhere in the lineup and could help improve the bottom of the order. Frazier slashed .349/.388/.460 in 19 games batting seventh last season.

A lineup with Newman, Reynolds, Polanco, Bell, Colin Moran and Frazier has the promise to be a solid top six — if they start hitting.

They get one and we get one.

Tied after one and a half.#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/4No6gN00SO

— Pirates (@Pirates) July 25, 2020

3. Who’s the DH?: Jose Osuna’s debut as designated hitter went well, as he was 2 for 4 and sparked a ninth-inning rally with a two-run single off Kwang-hyun Kim.

That Osuna wasn’t in the lineup Saturday was a surprise to some, even though Shelton said from the outset that he would use a rotation in that role.

Moran was the DH on Saturday, with Phillip Evans playing third base. Moran is the hottest bat in the Pirates’ lineup — which isn’t saying much — going 3 for 7 (.429) with two runs scored.

Shelton shared how he makes the decision on the DH.

“Some of it plays into the matchup for the pitchers, some of it plays into the fold of our lineup, some of it plays into just the fact of feeling who we want to play that day,” Shelton said. “So I think there’s a ton of factors that go into it, but the first two factors are probably the primary ones.”

If you’re looking for a bright spot to start your day, here’s one from #Pirates game notes: LHP Nik Turley retired all three batters he faced in his season debut Saturday at STL, his 1st regular-season game since pitching with the Twins on 9/28/17 – a mere 1,029 days in-between.

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 26, 2020

4. For starters…: No wonder Pirates fans were confused when Shelton named Steven Brault the starter for Monday’s home opener against Milwaukee but said the left-hander isn’t in the starting rotation.

Shelton further muddled our minds when he said that there’s “a chance” Brault could pitch in a piggyback with a right-hander but doesn’t consider him to be an “opener.”

Allow Shelton to explain: “He’s not a part of the rotation, and it’s not to say that he’s an opener. Well, it depends on what your definition of an opener is, in terms of how many pitches he throws and he we use him. But traditionally how openers have been used, for an inning, that’s not how we’re going to use him.”

I am watching from Shanghai. I don’t like these middle of the night losses lol. Let’s Go Bucs!

— Brian Fairman (@fbj_dafeiji) July 26, 2020

5. What’s the count?: Shelton credited his staff for helping him catch home plate umpire Ed Hickox when his count was off and Kolten Wong was credited with drawing a walk in the seventh inning.

Shelton called it to the attention of Hickox and his crew, and it was corrected.

“We knew it in our dugout. I actually asked Ed what the pitch was, and he had motioned over that it was a strike,” Shelton said, noting that bench coach Don Kelly, assistant coach Glenn Sherlock and pitching coach Oscar Marin all had the count correct. “So it was just a matter of going out. To the umpires’ credit, the crew’s credit, as soon as they came in, (first base umpire) Jordan Baker had the count right and so did (second base umpire) Jeremie (Rehak), I think. (Third-base umpire) Jerry (Meals) got there late. The fact that they got together, they made the right call, they were on top of it. That stuff happens. They corrected it and we went on.”

Only for Kyle Crick to walk Wong anyway.

Kevin Gorman is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Kevin by email at kgorman@triblive.com or via Twitter .

Categories: Pirates/MLB | Sports