When the Pirates claimed outfielder Anthony Alford in late August, the hope was he could showcase himself a bit over the final month of the season. With at least one outfield spot seemingly up for grabs for the 2021 season, it was an opportunity for the former top Blue Jays prospect to stake a claim in center field.
Those plans changed Saturday when Alford collided into the wall in center, trying to bring back a home run, fracturing his right elbow in the process.
General manager Ben Cherington described it as a "clean break," but adding that the process "should be good."
For the rest of this season, Cole Tucker and Jason Martin, who was recalled Sunday after Alford was placed on the 45-day injured list, will get the majority of the playing time in center field.
Alford is still under team control, and is in position to compete for a spot during spring training 2021.
That's shaping up to be a pretty competitive spring training.
"I think looking ahead, certainly we have some games to play, important games to play, this year, more to watch, more to learn, but we can start looking forward into the offseason and spring training," Cherington said during his radio show on 93.7 The Fan Sunday. "We expect and want to have a lot of competition. I would expect it to be a very competitive spring training environment with the group we currently have and perhaps some additions this offseason. Part of getting better is creating that competitive environment."
Those open spots, and subsequent competitions, could increase if Cherington decides to trade away some of his more veteran movements this offseason. While he only dealt one player, Jarrod Dyson, this trade deadline, he was connected to multiple teams and was reportedly very close to dealing Joe Musgrove to the Blue Jays.
Of course, the flip side to having so many spots open to competition also means that means there are not as many established players on the roster. Cherington recognizes that and says the Pirates will have more guys that can be penciled into roles in the future, but they have to earn those spots first.
"I think you always want to have a competitive environment whenever you're on the field together," Cherington said. "... This game is, and ought to be, a meritocracy. So that means we absolutely support players and we're going to do everything we can to help them get better, and opportunity's part of that. But competition and meritocracy are parts of it too, and we have to have that mindset, getting where we are right now."
• A bit of old news at this point, but here's Cherington's mindset for why the Pirates only made the one move during the deadline:
"We just weren't presented with opportunities that we thought made us better," Cherington said. "When that happens, we have to be disciplined enough just to wait."
• Cherington isn't exactly sure why the Musgrove to the Blue Jays reports leaked, but he wanted to clear the air with Musgrove to be safe.
"I would do that in any case where that happened," Cherington said. "In this case, I wanted Joe to know everything I'm doing... I think that's all you can do in that situation. Just be transparent and tell him what happened, and also to tell him, as I did, I'm really glad he's a Pirate."
• Cherington said that at or around Sept. 18 the group of players in the Altoona alternate training camp could come to PNC Park to work out as the season winds down. There would also be an instructional league in Pirate City, though that is still in the early steps of the process.
• Right-handed reliever Jandel Gustave, who reported to Altoona camp Friday weeks after reportedly coming to terms with the Pirates on a deal, is under team control for 2021 as well, Cherington said.