Pittsburgh Pirates DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (side) is dealing with "left side tightness." He has not been in a spring contest since March 5. However, Hayes was seen taking ground balls on Monday and is expected to step in the batter's cage on Tuesday. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as a setback could put him in danger of missing Opening Day. Last season, the 28-year-old had his campaign cut short due to a back injury. Across 96 games, Hayes held a .233/.283/.290 slash line with nine doubles and four home runs. He generated a weak .279 xwOBA and a .327 xSLG which were both well below the average marks. However, he is an elite defender as he placed in the 90th percentile in Outs Above Average. If he were to miss time, Jared Triolo would likely see an uptick in playing time.

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa is expected to be the primary option at the position come Opening Day. Oneil Cruz has been moved to center field, so the position is now Kiner-Falefa's, and the Bucs also have Jared Triolo on hand, who can play there if needed. Kiner-Falefa is probably a better real-life ball player than a fantasy asset, though, carrying a career .262/.313/.351 slash line with no more than eight home runs in any one particular season and stolen base totals dropping from a high of 22 SB in 2022 to 11 in 2024. The 29-year-old is also projected to hit at the bottom of the Pirates' batting order, which doesn't add any appeal, however, there is some intrigue regarding his positional eligibility as the right-handed hitter is eligible on Yahoo at 2B, 3B, and SS.

The Houston Astros have signed left-handed relief pitcher Jalen Beeks to a minor-league contract. Beeks spent the 2024 campaign with the Colorado Rockies and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Across 70 total frames, Beeks held a 4.50 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP. He tallied just 55 strikeouts and held an 8.7 percent walk rate. Despite his low strikeout production, the southpaw generated an elite 4.8 percent hard-hit rate and a 33.0 percent hard-hit rate, placing him in the 91st and 89th percentile among qualified pitchers. During his time with the Rockies he tallied nine saves. Fantasy managers should monitor his status during the remainder of spring training as he will likely be competing for a middle-relief role in the Houston bullpen. If he were to make the Opening Day roster, he will likely not see many high-leverage opportunities.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Ji Hwan Bae (hand) is back in the Grapefruit League lineup on Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox and is starting in left field and batting leadoff. Bae suffered a jammed right ring finger in the spring training game on Sunday while sliding into third base and was given the day off on Monday to rest. The 25-year-old is fine now and will continue his competition with the likes of Jack Suwinski, DJ Stewart, Joshua Palacios, Nick Solak and Billy Cook for the fourth and fifth outfield spots to open the regular season in Pittsburgh. He's doing his part early in spring training, going 3-for-8 with a double and a run scored in five games. Bae has elite speed (33 steals in three MLB seasons), but he's also hit an underwhelming .231/.296/.304 with two homers in 150 career big-league games. The fact he has minor-league options remaining could mean he'll be starting the year at Triple-A Indianapolis.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor (elbow) is expected to return to the starting lineup later this week. The outfielder was scratched on Saturday due to right elbow inflammation. However, it seems this injury is not too serious and he will only need a few days to return to action. This is a good sign for the White Sox as they could be without their starting left fielder Andrew Benintendi (hand) during the start of the season. Last summer, Taylor spent time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Across 113 contests, Taylor posted a .193/.253/.290 slash line with nine doubles and five home runs. He generated a weak .204 xBA but showed power upside as he posted a high 11.6 percent barrel rate. He also was placed in the 96th percentile in range and 83rd in arm strength. When healthy, he should have a depth role in the Chicago outfield.