Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jack Suwinski, who led the team in home runs last season, will be optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to break this story.
The Pirates are optioning Jack Suwinski to Triple-A, sources say. Suwinski, 25, was hitting only .184/.266/.327 with nine home runs in 87 games this season.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) July 29, 2024
Pirates’ Jack Suwinski Returning to Triple-A Again
At the close of Sunday’s action, Suwinski is hitting .182/.264/.324 with 9 home runs and 26 RBI. Last season, Suwinski hit .224/.339/.454, 26 HR, and 74 RBI. From 2023 to 2024, his OPS has dropped by 205 points. I usually don’t cite OPS because the nuns at Immaculate Conception School taught me never to add two fractions that don’t have the same denominator. However, I point it out here because it says so much about how far Suwinski has fallen in 2024. His hard-hit percentage has dropped from 43.7 to 38.5 from 2023 to 2024. He’s never been a high-average hitter, but the spike in his ground ball percentage from 27.8 to 45.9 might explain why he’s not producing home runs.
Suwinski’s spot on the active roster was tenuous at best. The Pirates sent Suwinski to Triple-A on May 23 when he was hitting .174/.268/.297, hoping to find his swing there. Speedy Ji Hwan Bae, like Suwinski a left-handed hitter, had been called up to take his place in the left-handed center field platoon. However, when Bae sprained his right wrist, Suwinski was recalled on June 4. It was sooner than the Pirates expected to bring Suwinski back. But the organization otherwise lacked a major league-ready center fielder, and the Pirates had no choice.
The Pirates were rumored to be sending Suwinski back to Triple-A on July 2. Sources said that Joshua Palacios was being recalled, then he wasn’t. Apparently, Suwinski bought himself more time that evening by going 3-for-3 with a homer against the St. Louis Cardinals. Unfortunately, that performance didn’t portend continued, better results.
Bae Returns from Triple-A
Bae was only 5-for-27 during his brief stay with Pittsburgh this year. He’s flourished at Indianapolis, however, and might be ready to contribute. There he hit .360/.437/.505. Bae has always shown good OBP numbers in the minors. However, that skill has yet to transfer to the major leagues. With Suwinski needing time in the minors to work things out, the Pirates will give Bae another chance.
Bae was brought up on Friday when Bryan Reynolds went on the bereavement list. With Reynolds ready to return, an outfielder had to be dropped from the major league roster. Bae might owe this latest break to Saturday’s left groin injury to second baseman Nick Gonzales. On his weekly radio show, general manager Ben Cherington said Gonzales would be out “weeks, not days.” The versatile Bae also plays second base – he was the Bucs’ Opening Day second sacker in 2023 – and that may have come into play in the decision to keep him over Suwinski. He might share time there with Jared Triolo, the 2024 Opening Day second baseman who’s hitting just .198/.272/.266.
Versatile infielder Alika Williams was recalled to take the place of Gonzales. Williams is a classic good-field, no-hit infielder, but he’s surprised by hitting .327/.421/.394 in Indianapolis.
The Last Word
The Pirates are rumored to have inquired about several outfielders with the trade deadline looming on Tuesday. Their primary need is in the outfield. They could use two outfielders who could hit. But as other teams have made deals, the supply of available hitters is dwindling, and the Pirates might be lucky to land one hitter in a trade. If Cherington’s efforts come to fruition, the domino effect will result in another player going to Indy. The guess here is that unless there’s a flurry of trades by Tuesday, Bae will stay in Pittsburgh for a while. It could be Triolo and Williams battling it out to see who stays. Meanwhile, the Pirates are likely to keep Suwinski in Triple-A for a while to make sure he gets back on track.
Photo Credit: © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
