Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Loses out on second base job
Rotowire
Gonzales was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Gonzales entered camp with a chance to claim the starting job at second base, though he always appeared to be on the outside looking in. Positively, he struck out only 16.7 percent of the time across 36 plate appearances in Grapefruit League action. Gonzales should make his way back to Pittsburgh at some point in 2024, but for now, Liover Peguero and Jared Triolo are the top candidates to get plate appearances at the keystone.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Scores one and hits double
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Gonzales went 2-for-3, hitting one double and scoring once in Pittsburgh's 9-8 loss to Baltimore on Thursday.
Gonzalez is in a fierce competition for one of the final spots on the Opening Day roster, as the 2020 first-round pick is battling with Liover Peguero and Ji Hwan Bae for a utility infield job. Through a handful of spring-training at-bats, he's hitting .300, but he'll need to consistently maintain success after hitting just .209 last season across 35 games.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Recalled from Indianapolis
Rotowire
The Pirates recalled Gonzales from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Gonzales is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, but he could get a start or two in the final week of the 2023 campaign. The 24-year-old middle infielder has struggled to a .216/.268/.353 batting line across his first 112 major-league plate appearances this season.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Getting call-up for final week
Rotowire
The Pirates plan to recall Gonzales from Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of their three-game series in Philadelphia that begins Tuesday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
After getting his first call-up to the big leagues in late June, Gonzales received a look in an everyday role in the middle infield but slashed a lowly .216/.268/.353 in 112 plate appearances before being optioned back to Triple-A in early August. Though he'll be back with the Pirates for the final week of the season, Gonzales may only be on hand as a depth option behind the likes of Ji Hwan Bae, Jared Triolo and Liover Peguero.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Heads back to minors
Rotowire
The Pirates optioned Gonzales to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Gonzales lost his spot on the 26-man active roster when the Pirates needed to make room for first baseman Alfonso Rivas, whom the team acquired from the Padres on Tuesday. Before the demotion to Triple-A, Gonzales had already seemingly lost hold of a regular role in the middle infield, as Liover Peguero and Alika Williams emerged as the Bucs' primary options at second base and shortstop, respectively. Gonzales turned in a .216/.268/.353 with two home runs and no stolen bases over 112 plate appearances with Pittsburgh in his first stint in the big leagues.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Checks back into lineup
Rotowire
Gonzales will start at second base and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Tigers, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Gonzales is back in the lineup after he had been on the bench for two of the Pirates' previous three games. Both of his absences came against right-handed pitchers, with Liover Peguero drawing starts at the keystone over Gonzales on both occasions. Since receiving a call-up from Triple-A Indianapolis in late June, Gonzales is slashing .222/.275/.364 with a 27.5 percent strikeout rate over 109 plate appearances. He could be on the odd man out of the Pittsburgh infield when Ji Hwan Bae (ankle) returns from the 10-day injured list.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Gets Saturday off
Rotowire
Gonzales isn't in the Pirates' lineup Saturday against the Phillies, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Gonzales is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts across his last three games, so he'll get a day off Saturday to regroup. Alika Williams will draw the start at shortstop, and Liover Peguero will man second base while Gonzales rests.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Sitting Monday
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Gonzales is not in the starting lineup Monday versus the Padres, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Gonzales will take a seat after he went 2-for-11 with a double and two runs scored over the team's series in Los Angeles. Tucupita Marcano will take over at second base and bat eighth in the series opener at San Diego.
Gonzales went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 9-7 win over the Dodgers.
He began his career with three hitless efforts, but he's now racked up three straight multi-hit games. Gonzales has showed solid power with two home runs, three doubles and a triple among his 11 hits through 11 games. He's added nine RBI and eight runs scored and should continue to split time between second base and shortstop while Ji Hwan Bae (ankle) is out.
Gonzales went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's loss against the Brewers.
Gonzales was responsible for the Pirates' only two runs off Colin Rea with a two-run blast in the second inning. The 2020 first-round pick has gone 6-for-19 (.315) with two homers in his last six games after going 0-for-8 to start his big-league career. Gonzales is now slashing .222/.267/.556 with seven RBI and five runs scored through his first 30 plate appearances after batting .257 with a .820 OPS with Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Heads to bench
Rotowire
Gonzales will sit Saturday against MIlwaukee.
Gonzales sits for the second time in eight games since getting called up for the first time last week. He's managed three extra-base hits, including one homer, but he's also striking out at a 32.0 percent clip. Ji Hwan Bae and Tucupita Marcano will be the middle infielders Saturday.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: First MLB hit, home run in win
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Gonzales went 2-for-4 with a triple, a home run, two RBI and two total runs in Tuesday's 9-4 victory over the Padres.
Gonzales nearly homered in the second inning, settling for a triple off the top of the wall for his first major-league hit. He'd manage to clear the fence in the seventh, crushing a 442-foot homer off Adrian Morejon for his first home run. The 24-year-old Gonzales is now 2-for-12 with an .814 OPS through four big-league games. After slashing .257/.370/.450 in Triple-A, Gonzales should continue to see regular reps as Pittsburgh's starting second baseman.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Strikes out twice in debut
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Gonzales went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts Friday against the Marlins.
Gonzales was promoted for his big-league debut and started at second base while hitting seventh. No conclusions can be drawn from a single start, but he was striking out a 28.6 percent clip with Triple-A Indianapolis prior to his promotion, so his ability to make consistent contact will be worth watching. Gonzales should get the opportunity to solidify himself as Pittsburgh's everyday second baseman.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Called up Friday
Rotowire
Gonzales was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic reports.
Gonzales will join the Pirates in Miami and will be poised to make his major-league debut some time this weekend. The 24-year-old has produced a .257 batting average with six homers, 27 RBI, 38 runs and a stolen base over 218 at-bats in 57 games for Triple-A Indianapolis this season. Gonzales was selected in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft but has seen his prospect status diminish in the last couple years due to injuries and a hit tool that hasn't developed as quickly as the organization hoped. He could still get a long look in the majors as the Pirates try to find a long-term solution at second base.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Moves to minor-league camp
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Gonzales was reassigned to minor-league camp Sunday, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
Gonzales is one of the Pirates' top prospects and had a strong showing in big-league camp with a 1.004 OPS in 16 contests. He spent most of 2022 at Double-A Altoona and had a .263/.383/.429 slash line, so he should move up to Triple-A Indianapolis this year.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Reinstated from injured list
Rotowire
Gonzales (heel) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Friday at Double-A Altoona, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Gonzales had been on the injured list with plantar fasciitis since the end of May, going 3-for-10 with a triple, a double, four RBI, a run and a steal over three games on a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League prior to being activated. The 2020 first-round pick has a disappointing .742 OPS through 43 games with Altoona this season.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Starts rehab assignment
Rotowire
Gonzalez (heel) reported to the FCL Pirates to begin a rehab assignment Friday, John Dreker of PiratesProspects.com reports.
Gonzalez has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis since the end of May but has been cleared for game action in the Florida Complex League. The 23-year-old has a .742 OPS in 43 games for Double-A Altoona this year and will likely require a handful of rehab games before being reinstated to the active roster.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Game action imminent
Rotowire
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Thursday that Gonzales (heel) is expected to return to "game-like action" in the next week or so, Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The Pirates will likely start Gonzales out with playing in simulated games at extended spring training in Florida before having him participate in rehab games at one of their lower-level affiliates. The 23-year-old second baseman has been sidelined for nearly two months with plantar fasciitis in his right heel.
