North Shore Nine

With one game left on the Spring Training schedule and Opening Day four days away, where does the roster stand? A number of injuries have muddied the waters, but a careful inspection shows a clearer picture.

Catcher: Yasmani Grandal will be on the IL, which means Henry Davis and Jason Delay are your batteries to start the season.

First base: Despite the ire from parts of the fandom. Rowdy Tellez and Connor Joe will be playing first this season.

Second Base: Jared Triolo has won the job and will be the Pirates’ everyday second baseman.

Shortstop: Oneil Cruz will begin his quest for a 30/30 season this week. Alika Williams will serve as his backup, though not many are sure why.

Third base: Ke’Bryan Hayes starts his dark horse MVP run playing the hot corner. If he needs a day off expect Triolo to slide over to take his spot for the day.

Left field: Jack Suwinski is ready to go, hopefully joining Cruz in the 30-home run club.

Center field: Michael A. Taylor will start in center this season. It will be fun to watch which batter he is this season.

Right field: Bryan Reynolds will roam in front of the Clemente wall. He could be primed for a big season with the extra protection he has around him in the lineup.

DH: Andrew McCutchen looks for that 300th home run early this season. Joe will also see some time at DH.

4th Outfielder: Edward Olivares appears to be the guy for the job. Billy McKinney made a great run at it but is unlikely to make the team.

Starting Pitchers: Mitch Keller, Martin Perez, and Marco Gonzales are the top three still. Jared Jones has easily cemented himself as the 4th starter. The question of the 5th is still up in the air, but Luis Ortiz makes the most sense.

Bullpen: Ranked 3rd best in late Spring Training by the MLB.com crew. However, injuries have ravaged the group with Dauri Moreta out for the next year and a half, and Colin Holderman and Carmen Mlodzinski are looking to start the season on the IL. This means the 8 in the bullpen will be David Bednar, Aroldis Chapman, Ryan Borucki, Roansy Contreras, Josh Fleming, Bailey Falter, Brent Honeywell Jr., and Hunter Stratton. Once folks come off the IL expect Stratton to be optioned and Falter to be released.

One other thing to watch is where Domingo German slots in when he is ready. It might mean Ortiz is moved to the bullpen and German goes into the rotation. Or, if Jones struggles, he might end up going down to make room.

None of this is a foregone conclusion, but we will know for sure in a day or two as they announce the final roster.