CHICAGO -- An opening day lineup is the best indicator of what an organization feels is the best version of their club.
The Pirates ran out the clock as best they could before announcing those final decisions. But there are hardly any surprises among manager Derek Shelton’s picks for the best nine to start Thursday’s opener at Wrigley Field in Chicago:
The moment you’ve been waiting for…#LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/0DIkZqgYXM
— Pirates (@Pirates) April 1, 2021
Anthony Alford won the final spot in the lineup. The 26-year-old is starting in center field and batting eighth against Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs. He got off to a hot start this spring, collecting hits in six of his first 14 at-bats (.375), but slowed toward the end to finish with a .250 average, two homers, two doubles and four RBIs.
Beyond that, the club’s lineup looks a lot like what was expected, and often what was trotted out in the Grapefruit League. Kevin Newman will bat fifth and start at shortstop after breaking a 13-year-old spring record with a .606 batting average. He could get some play at the top of the order this season, but second baseman Adam Frazier will see the first pitches from Hendricks on Thursday.
Ke’Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds hit back-to-back to follow Frazier and play third base and right field, respectively. Like Newman and Frazier, Hayes also had a tremendous spring, batting .431 with 10 extra-base hits and nine RBIs. Reynolds seemed to turn the corner on his dismal 2020 campaign, batting .304 with three homers and nine RBIs.
Gregory Polanco will be in the Pirates’ opening day lineup for the fifth time in the past seven years, and the first since 2018. The 29-year-old is Pittsburgh’s longest-tenured and highest-paid player. He’ll be in right field and bat sixth behind Newman.
Colin Moran started last year’s opener at third base but shifted across the diamond, likely on a permanent basis following Hayes’ emergence as a potential superstar.
Chad Kuhl will be throwing to Jacob Stallings, who bats seventh. Stallings starts the Pirates’ opener for the second consecutive year following a spring in which he batted .147 in 34 at-bats.
Finally, the right-hander Kuhl will make the start on the mound. The 28-year-old was named the fifth different Pirates’ opening day starter in as many years during Monday’s spring game. Kuhl compiled a 2-1 record and 3.38 ERA over eight innings in Florida.