Pirates One Month Check-in: Biggest Surprise, Biggest Disappointment, What Must Improve

Although he’s not hitting for much power (five doubles, no home runs, a .365 slugging percentage), Gonzales is hitting the ball to all fields and is only striking out in 19% of his plate appearances.

Even when Triolo comes back from the injured list, which should be in the near future, Gonzales should not be taken out of the lineup.

Biggest Disappointment: Marcell Ozuna

The Pirates signed Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, $12 million deal that includes a $16 million mutual option for next season. Ozuna has had a notable career in the big leagues but he has been dreadful for the Pirates through the first month of the season.

Among qualified major league hitters, Ozuna has the third-worst on-base percentage (.224), the third-worst OPS (.466), the fifth-worst batting average (.162) and the sixth-worst slug (.242).

Ozuna was added to add thump to the lineup and to serve as a run producer but the 35-year-old has only two home runs and eight RBI in 26 games played. The metrics don’t indicate a turnaround is necessarily likely, either.

The Pirates have benched Ozuna in two of their last three games, a trend that could continue unless more drastic measures are taken. Pittsburgh has plenty of other players who could split time at designated hitter.

What Must Improve

In addition to getting more production from their designated hitter, the Pirates need to get more offense from their catchers.

Henry Davis has stooped to Austin Hedges levels in that he’s a trusted defensive catcher but has offered next to nothing with the bat. So far this season, Davis has a .154/.247/.200 batting line with three extra-base hits (all doubles), three RBI and a career-worst 26 OPS+.

Joey Bart, meanwhile, is supposed to be an offense-first catcher but his numbers are only marginally better. Bart is batting .195 with a .537 OPS, one double, one home run and three RBI.

Pirates catchers this season are tied for last with one home run, 29th in slugging percentage (.238), 29th in OPS (.488), 27th in batting average (.171) and 27th in OBP (.250).

Switching to the other side of the ball, the Pirates must play better defense in the outfield. Oneil Cruz already has minus-six defensive runs saved, although he has looked more comfortable out there in recent weeks. Ryan O’Hearn has minus-three DRS in his first year being primarily an outfielder. Bryan Reynolds has minus-two DRS.

A more immediate fix, overall, will be for the Pirates to put an end to their five-game skid and give everyone a collective sigh of relief. They’ll have a chance to do so on Friday night at PNC Park against the division-leading Cincinnati Reds.

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