Pirates' .657 OPS infielder from Red Sox trade in Triple-A after Konnor Griffin move
He hit two home runs in 2025 with the Pirates.
Pirates' . 657 OPS infielder from Red Sox trade in Triple-A after Konnor Griffin move originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Pittsburgh Pirates know that Konnor Griffin is the shortstop of the future. That's a major reason why they signed him to a long-term extension for $140 million . Because of Griffin's emergence on the Major League roster, there was not enough room on the 40-man roster for everyone.
After promoting Griffin, the NL Central club designated second/first baseman Emmanuel Valdez for assignment. According to Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors , the 27-year-old, acquired from the Boston Red Sox during the offseason ahead of the 2025 season, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A. "Valdez is healthy but no longer had much of a path to playing time on the Pittsburgh infield.
Horwitz has established himself as the primary first baseman. They acquired Brandon Lowe to play second and have Griffin up at shortstop," Franco wrote Thursday. "Third base is still a question mark, especially with Jared Triolo shelved by a knee injury, but Valdez had dropped below Nick Yorke and Nick Gonzales on the infield depth chart.