PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates will be without starting shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa in their series opener against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park due to lower body discomfort.
Manager Derek Shelton shared the update before the game, explaining that Kiner-Falefa exited a game two days earlier and the team initially wasn’t sure about the severity. “We wanted to use the day game as rest yesterday,” Shelton said. “After talking to him following the ceremony last night and with Donny checking in, we decided it was best to give him another day off. Not having a backup shortstop available was also a concern.”
To bolster infield depth, the Pirates recalled Liover Peguero from Triple-A Indianapolis, sending right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton back down to make room on the 26-man roster.
Jared Triolo, who played shortstop in the May 1 game against the Cubs, will start there again and bat ninth. Alexander Canario remains in left field for the second consecutive game, sliding down to the eighth spot in the lineup from sixth.
Joey Bart returns behind the plate, batting fifth, after Henry Davis caught for Paul Skenes in the previous matchup.
Adam Frazier and Ke’Bryan Hayes will stay at second and third base, respectively. Frazier moves up to seventh in the order, while Hayes drops to sixth.
The top four in the Pirates’ lineup remain unchanged: Oneil Cruz leads off in center field, followed by right fielder Bryan Reynolds, DH Andrew McCutchen, and first baseman Enmanuel Valdez.
Right-hander Mitch Keller will make his seventh start of the season for Pittsburgh, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m.
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Pittsburgh Pirates Lineup vs. the San Diego Padres
CF Oneil Cruz
RF Bryan Reynolds
DH Andrew McCutchen
1B Enmanuel Valdez
C Joey Bart
3B Ke’Bryan Hayes
2B Adam Frazier
LF Alexander Canario
SS Jared Triolo
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