The Pirates are making significant changes to their defensive alignment.
Bryan Reynolds will be moving from left field to right field, according to manager Derek Shelton. Tommy Pham will play in left, allowing for his corner outfield counterpart to be responsible for less room following a troubling defensive season at PNC Park. Oneil Cruz, of course, will play center.
“I think there’s a good chance that we’re gonna see Bryan in right,” Shelton said Wednesday, per DK Pittsburgh Sports. “I think we’ll play Tommy in left, and then the mix of the other guys we have. Our plan right now is to play Bryan in right.”
Reynolds doesn’t have much experience in right, appearing in just 53 games at that spot in the majors. The Pirates flirted with the move last season, placing him out there for 22 games, and could look to transition him toward first base more than previously before.
Pham, on the other hand, was great in left across stints with the Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals in 2024, failing to commit a single error across 277 1/3 innings. Pittsburgh signed him last week with the hope that he can provide quality at-bats, and could just be improving the outfield defense in the process.
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