Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin has started the process of being reinstated from the injured list. On August 9, CBS Sports stated that Griffin is playing catch and taking swings off a Trajekt machine.

The update indicates he is currently on schedule to return from a torn sagittal band in his left ring finger. in early September. He sustained the injury on July 5 in the bottom of the third inning versus the Washington Nationals. Griffin went to dive for a ground ball behind the second base bag, causing the injury.

If he does return then, Pittsburgh should strongly consider moving him to third base. In his first 90 games, Konnor Griffin has been the 7th-worst defensive shortstop, with ( -7)outs above average and (-6) runs prevented.

Analyzing Konnor Griffin’s Defensive Struggles at Shortstop

The defensive struggles are due to one area of the field: the hole between shortstop and third base. Griffin has (-5) outs above average and (-4) runs prevented there. He has been slower to react to baseballs hit in that area. 

Based on film from previous games, it appears that he is constantly thinking about how to approach a baseball when it is hit there. This is especially seen when he tries to retrieve a baseball backhanded. 

On April 12 2026, Alex Bregman hit a baseball toward the hole between shortstop and third base. Griffin went to where he thought the baseball would end up, allowing Bregman to get an infield hit.

Griffin is a substantially better defender when his body is square or in front of the baseball. In these particular scenarios, he tends to field the baseball with his arm/glove by the left side of his body. He proceeds to scoop the baseball off the ground before doing a glove-to-hand transfer.  Lastly, he will throw the baseball to the correct base.

Outside of baseballs hit towards the hole, Konnor Griffin has (-1) outs above average and runs prevented. Consequently, moving him to first base will reduce his exposure to play in the hole, which increases the likelihood of backhand plays. 

You are most likely asking yourself, if Griffin moves to third base, who will play shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates? Well, in the short term, the Pirates should continue to play Jacob Gonzalez at the position.

Jacob Gonzalez

Gonzalez has accumulated (-2) outs above average and runs prevented at shortstop. Furthermore, he has better defensive statistics in the hole between shortstop and third base than Griffin. In that specific area, he has accumulated zero outs above average and runs prevented.

After the impending collective bargaining agreement negotiations are over, Pittsburgh can look for a more permanent answer at shortstop.