BRADENTON, Fla. — With opening day on the horizon, Clint Hurdle has yet to truly experiment with a lineup for that game since his projected starters have rarely played at the same time so far this spring. However, he has already determined two spots.
Hurdle told reporters following the Pirates' 11-8 victory over the Twins at LECOM Park on Monday that Josh Bell will remain the club's cleanup hitter with Jordy Mercer continuing to bat eighth in the order and the pitcher ninth. The rest of the lineup will be determined before camp breaks next Tuesday.
"What we’re looking at is who fits in the two-hole, who fits in the four-hole," Hurdle said. "My thoughts are Bell is anchored at four for me. Then you’re looking at two and three. Do you complement it with [Starling] Marte? Do you complement it with [Gregory] Polanco depending who the leadoff is? Is it [Josh] Harrison? Is it Frazier? There’s still some moving pieces, but I think we have some options and I do think it’s going to be stretched out better than it was at anytime last year from top to bottom. Mercer is going to be in the eight-spot."
Bell is the one player who has remained at the same spot in the order throughout the spring, batting cleanup in each of his 14 games. The 25-year-old first baseman's 271 at-bats at cleanup led the team, and he had a .834 OPS with seven home runs and 21 RBIs at that spot in the order last season. He also batted .301 with runners in scoring position and .281 with runners on base.
Although Mercer has batted at a number of spots in the order in Grapefruit League play, he batted eighth in 70 games last season. The shortstop used to lead off against left-handed hitters, but Hurdle used him in that spot only 12 times in 2017.
On Monday, Bell showed the type of impact he can have hitting cleanup. Polanco reached on a two-out infield single in the top of the first before Bell, batting right-handed, delivered a two-run homer over the wall in center field — his third home run this spring.
The switch-hitter was a finalist for National League Rookie of the Year after he batted .255/.334/.466 with 26 home runs, 26 doubles and a 108 OPS+ in 2017. He was outstanding for much of the second half of the season — batting .290 and .323 in July and August, respectively — but he hit just .221 over the final five weeks.
“For me overall, being a first baseman, I’m trying to be an RBI guy,” Bell said. “I’m trying to score runners from first, second and third, and drawing walks when I can. If I can do that, if I can be a damage bat, hitting balls into the gaps repeatedly or low and hard towards the outfield, then I’ll be in a good place.”
Hurdle has used a variety of batting orders this spring, particularly with players hitting in front of Bell at No. 3. Polanco was given that assignment Monday and delivered with three hits and two RBIs. But Marte and Dickerson have also seen time there.
Balancing both right-handed and left-handed bats will also factor into Hurdle's decision. In addition to Dickerson and Polanco, Colin Moran is left-handed, so he likely won't bunch those three players together. Dickerson, who was acquired from the Rays last month, hit behind Bell on Monday and went 2 for 4 with a double.
With Harrison out of the lineup Monday, Marte batted second with Polanco third, Bell fourth and Dickerson fifth.
• Nick Kingham, the Pirates' eighth-best prospect according to Baseball America, had another ugly start, allowing six runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Kingham, a right-handed starter who will begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, gave up a pair of home runs, including a two-run homer by Miguel Sano in the first inning.
The Twins added three runs in the third with a home run and three singles. One scored on a wild pitch by Kingham. Opponents have scored 10 runs on 11 hits on Kingham in his last 5 1/3 innings.
• Jose Osuna, starting at first base after playing right field against the Blue Jays on Sunday, made a pair of impeccable defensive plays. The 25-year-old showed quick reaction time in the third when Eddie Rosario hit a line drive that one-hopped near Osuna's left shoulder.
Osuna picked the ball and tagged first, saving at least one run. He also made a diving stop in the fourth on a low-hit line drive by Ehrie Adrianza. Osuna, who is also learning third base, has played 393 games at first in the minor leagues.
Additionally, Osuna hit a solo home run in the fifth inning — his fourth this spring. He's batting .324 this spring.
"It's my regular position," Osuna said of his comfort level at first base. "I feel great over there, but I'm trying to be great at the other positions. That's how you have to be to be in the big leagues. I have to keep working to feel that confidence at the other positions."
• Bell and Christopher Bostick also hit home runs. The Pirates have now hit 38 home runs this spring - the most among all teams in the Grapefruit League and their highest total since hitting 39 in 2009.
They trailed 7-5 before scoring six runs in the seventh and eighth innings to secure the win. Polanco went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Corey Dickerson was 2 for 4.
• Ivan Nova, George Kontos, Felipe Rivero, Dovydas Neverauskas and Bo Schultz pitched in a minor league game at Pirate City on Monday. Nova, who is getting prepped for opening day, threw 100 pitches while Rivero and Kontos each threw two innings.
• The Pirates will play the Red Sox in Fort Myers on Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. Joe Musgrove is expected to start with Kevin Siegrist, Edgar Santana and Tyler Jones in relief.