Pirates Make Drastic Lineup Changes Before Phillies Game

Pirates Make Drastic Lineup Changes Before Phillies Game

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PHILADELPHIA — The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off an offensive outburst in their first game vs. the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, but they will have numerous new hitters in this contest.

The Pirates have no purely left-handed batters in the second-game of a four-game series vs. the Phillies on June 30, with seven right-handed batters and two switch-hitters making up the nine players in the lineup.

Pittsburgh makes this surprising decision after they came back from a 5-0 deficit and took down Philadelphia, 11-5, which saw them hit three home runs and have a six-run fifth inning.

It's a drastic move from the Pirates, but one that comes with them facing one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Why Pirates Made These Lineup Changes

The Pirates will face Phillies left-handed starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez in this game, who's dominated opposing hitting in 2026.

Sánchez ranks first in baseball with a 6.05 K/BB, second with 110.1 innings pitch, tied-second with nine wins, third with 127 strikeouts and a 1.72 BB/9, fourth in ERA (2.13) and 10th in K/9 (10.39).

He had his best start this season and one of the best starts of his career against the Pirates at PNC Park on May 17, throwing nine scoreless innings for a complete game, allowing just six hits and posting 13 strikeouts.

The Pirates have also not hit left-handed pitchers as well as right handed pitchers, slashing .242.305/.381 for an OPS .687 against southpaws and .265/.349/.435 for an OPS of .784 against righties.

Pittsburgh's only switch hitters are left fielder Bryan Reynolds and Endy Rodríguez, who makes his first start of the season at first base.

Reynolds is finishing off another incredible month of June in his career, slashing .305/.400/.547 for an OPS of .947, while also possessing the longest on-base streak in MLB at 34 games.

He has also hit great against southpaws in 2026, slashing .316/.412/.551 for an OPS of .963, even better than he hits righties, slashing .271/.398/.435 for an OPS of .833.

The Pirates put their faith in Rodríguez as their every day catcher and he's produced offensively, slashing .271/.404/.482 for an OPS of .886 in 31 games.

He doesn't have a hit in 11 at-bats against left-handed pitchers this season, with three walks and five strikeouts, but Kelly trusts Rodríguez can hit them and will come through.

“Sánchez is tough and just trying to get as many righties in as we can. He’s really tough on the lefties and Endy’s been swinging the bat really well.”

New Pirates Lineup vs. Phillies

Konnor Griffin will play shortstop after serving as designated hitter in the series opener vs. the Phillies, and bat leadoff for the third straight game.

Right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez will bat second, the highest he's ever done in the major leagues. Valdez has hit a home run in each of his past four games and has five hits in his last seven at-bats and three walks to one strikeout the last two games.

Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna comes back and hits fourth after not starting the past two games and has hit well in June, slashing .294/.351/.471 for an OPS of .822.

Nick Gonzales comes back in at second base and hits fifth, Rodríguez bats sixth, Jared Triolo moves to third base and hits seventh and Henry Davis comes in at catcher, while batting ninth

Billy Cook makes his seventh start of the season and will play in center field, while batting eighth in the lineup. It is his first start since he also started in center field vs. the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 19.

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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.