Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Henry Davis, the team's former first overall pick in 2021, homered for the third straight game on Monday in the team's Grapefruit League contest versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Davis' work this offseason to have his swing reassessed at Driveline has been paying off in spring training. He's now hitting .400 with a 1.444 OPS in 18 plate appearances in camp, and his perceived improvements defensively behind the plate are giving him a strong case to be Pittsburgh's preferred No. 1 catcher in 2024, despite the fact that manager Derek Shelton said last week that veteran Yasmani Grandal will be involved. Davis started exclusively in the outfield in the majors in 2023, but the Bucs want him to be their long-term backstop. If the 24-year-old can improve on his offensive performance from a year ago, it will be hard for the team to justify using Grandal over him.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and closer David Bednar (lat) are playing it safe in spring training and he's currently not throwing, but the good news is he doesn't seem too worried about the severity of his injury. "Hopefully will be back soon," Bednar said. Manager Derek Shelton said on Sunday that Bednar is dealing with right-lat tightness after feeling it the other day in his throwing program. The Pirates will continue to monitor it, and fantasy managers should do the same. There's still several weeks before Opening Day, but as a precaution, Bednar may be forced to open the season on the injured list, which would pave the way for veteran left-hander Aroldis Chapman to take over closing duties in his first year with the club. Despite pitching for the lowly Pirates, Bednar has easily been a top-10 fantasy closer the last two seasons.

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes went 2-for-3 with a run scored against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Hayes is now hitting .357 with two homers and six RBI over his first 14 Grapefruit League at-bats. It seems like Hayes has been around forever, but he is still just 27. Always highly touted in the fantasy community, Hayes has yet to have that true breakout campaign. That being said, he was well rounded with a .271 batting average to go along with 15 homers, 61 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Coming off a strong finish in 2023, Hayes could continue to provide value later in drafts for managers that miss out on the top hot corner options.

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dauri Moreta (elbow) was unable to finish his outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. The right-hander saw a significant drop in velocity before a visit from the training staff. The 27-year-old was pulled out of the contest due to right elbow discomfort. Moreta was a key piece to the Pirates bullpen last season as he made a career-high 55 appearances with Pittsburgh. The assumption is that Moreta will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the issue. He probably won't have fantasy value unless it's in category leagues that incorporate holds. There should be more news on his status in a few days.

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcherDavid Bednar(lat) is dealing with right lat tightness. Bednar felt tightness in his lat during a throwing program. The Pirates are playing it safe with Bednar, and he is currently shut down from throwing. "Hopefully, he will be back soon," said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. Pittsburgh will continue to monitor the injury for the 29-year-old, and he's considered day-to-day. Bednar had a career year in 2023, converting 39 of 42 saves while posting a 2.00 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 67 1/3 innings. Aroldis Chapman is next in line for save opportunities if Bednar were to miss any time. Chapman signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Pirates this offseason after racking up six saves while posting a 3.09 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 103 strikeouts over 58 1/3 innings between the Royals/Rangers in 2023. Fantasy managers of Bednar should add Chapman to their roster as a handcuff in case he misses any time. Stay tuned.