This Konnor Griffin update is great news for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their slim playoff chances.
The Pirates have activated Griffin from the 60-day injured list and he will be in the lineup tonight against the Los Angeles Angels, batting sixth and playing shortstop.
Griffin had been on the IL since July 7 with a torn tendon in his ring finger. The Pirates were 46-45 the day Griffin landed on the shelf and went 23-27 without him.
The Pirates, at 69-72, are five games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final National League Wild Card spot with 21 games left to play. However, they’re currently sitting behind three other teams: the St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres.
Having Griffin back increases the Pirates’ chances of finishing the regular season strong and potentially pushing for that final Wild Card spot.
Griffin was slashing .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases and a 1.6 bWAR in 59 games before going down in early July. This was his second stint on the IL this year after missing almost a month of action from May 31 to June 26 with a right elbow strain.
Entering the season, Griffin was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the game by MLB Pipeline, ESPN and Baseball America. He was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Griffin got called up to make his MLB debut with the Pirates on Apr. 3.
If Griffin didn’t have two separate injuries that forced him to miss so much time this season, he likely would’ve been a top candidate for NL Rookie of the Year based on his impressive numbers.
Regardless, Griffin will be a key future piece of the Pirates’ core moving forward beyond his rookie campaign. If the Pirates make it back to the postseason next year, Griffin will be a big reason why.
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