Jared Triolo’s back with the Pirates after an extended run in the big leagues earlier in the season.
The Pirates recalled Triolo from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to Wednesday afternoon’s series finale against the Brewers due to Andrew McCutchen being lost for the rest of the season with a partially torn left Achilles tendon. Triolo, 25, has already played 36 games for the Pirates this season, hitting. 273 while producing a .664 OPS.
Though he didn’t hit for much power — producing just three extra-base hits in 121 at-bats — Triolo proved to himself that he belonged and that his game, predicated on stellar fielding and hitting for average, translated to MLB competition.
"It was good,” Triolo said. “I think, just leaving here--when I got sent down--with a sense of belonging here, so that was good.”
But over his past 16 minor-league games, Triolo has tapped into some of the power he’s capable of generating with his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame. Over that stretch, Triolo hit .269 with an .856 OPS, including five doubles, a home run, and five RBIs.
He attributed that development to improved pitch selection, which Triolo recognized needed to improve after his first go-around in the bigs.
"I think being up here gave me a lot of confidence, seeing pitches and knowing that I can fall behind in the count and still be a great hitter,” Triolo said. “So, I definitely think it gave me confidence."
What’s of greater interest is where Triolo, a stellar defensive third baseman by trade, will play. Ke’Bryan Hayes is healthy, meaning Triolo won’t get as much time at the hot corner as he did when the former was injured for the majority of July.
He’s already started four games at second for the Pirates and was an above-average defender there, too. Triolo’s spent a good amount of time at shortstop in the minors this season, too, as well as the outfield in prior campaigns.
Triolo joked that he brought four or five gloves with him in preparation for his second go-around with the Pirates, one which very well could extend through the end of the season.
Cruz running
As general manager Ben Cherington told reporters Tuesday afternoon, Oneil Cruz has restarted his running progression. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said that Cruz, who fractured his left fibula in April, ran on the field on Monday, as well as shortly before Wednesday’s game.
“He’s run one time out on the field [Monday], and he did not have a flare-up of the foot,” Tomczyk said. “So, we’re continuing to be encouraged and optimistic to get him into some high-level reps of game activity before his offseason starts.”
Tomczyk said relative to when Cruz began running again, which required him to be shut down for a couple of weeks due to general left foot soreness, the team has taken a different approach this time around. The Pirates are toying around with different types of orthotics and prep activities before he begins running.
“We're learning every day with him what's going to trigger that signal like 'hey, my foot feels good now,’” Tomczyk said. “He hasn't done a lot for over four-and-a-half, five months.
“So, training him again…to send that signal from the brain to the foot that 'I can do this, I can do it normal' is what we're working through right now.”
Cruz is currently running what Tomczyk referred to as 30-yard striders in the outfield grass. Cruz will need to prove capable of doing several types of running before the team can have him begin a rehab assignment.
First, he needs to run normally before doing so at a high speed. Next, he’ll have to show he can change directions. He can then run the bases, the final step for him to get back to game competition.
"He still has some different boxes to check in regards to a running progression,” Tomczyk said. “But, he is – I know I mentioned plateaued last time – we're back to progress. He is making progress."
Other updates
• Henry Davis (right-hand strain) has not only been hitting on the field, but also off the tee, machines, and seeing curveballs. The next steps with Davis are to continue increasing his hitting repetitions against velocity and, depending on how his hand responds, figure out the next steps for him to return to the team.
• JT Brubaker (Tommy John) will visit Dr. Keith Meister, who operated to reconstruct the right-hander’s ulnar collateral ligament, later this month. When Brubaker visits Dr. Meister, it’ll be roughly five months removed from his surgery. Should all go according to plan, Brubaker would then be able to begin throwing plyometric balls, a precursor to starting a throwing program.
• Tucupita Marcano (torn ACL in right knee), who is about a month post-surgery, rode a stationary bike on Tuesday and is now beginning to walk normally, according to Tomcyzk.
“He’s making really nice strides in his rehab,” Tomczyk said. “I know it’s still very early on, but he’s working his tail off, and he’s doing a nice job.”
Andrew Destin: adestin@post-gazette.com and Twitter @AndrewDestin1
First Published: September 6, 2023, 5:49 p.m.