Pirates gamble on Nick Gonzales is paying off
Gonzales has answered the call!
May 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales (3) in the batting cage before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The Pirates were initially seen as failures in the offseason when they weren’t able to add a player to be their everyday third baseman. The Ke’Bryan Hayes trade that the team made at the deadline in 2025 left more questions than answers and admittedly I thought the Pirates were foolish to trade Hayes away in the first place.
I’m happy now to eat crow and admit that the gamble to this point has paid off, and Nick Gonzales has been a welcomed presence at the hot corner. Gonzales overall has put together a nice campaign in the early parts of the 2026 season. It was fortuitous for Gonzales that Jared Triolo landed on the injured list at the beginning of April with right knee injury, but the former has made the most of his opportunities as a starter.
This year the New Mexico State product is hitting . 319/. 379/.
363 with a . 741 OPS. Gonzales has scored 21 runs of his own and has batted in 21 as well with 51 total hits at this point in the season.