Triolo's recent turnaround a product of a late-season 'fresh start'

ST. LOUIS -- When Ke'Bryan Hayes landed on the injured list on Aug. 19 and Jared Triolo was counted on to fill a void left over at the hot corner, he didn't crumble under the pressure of a starting opportunity and a chance at more consistent at-bats. 

Triolo, who began the season as the team's starting second baseman before ultimately losing the job to a hot-hitting Nick Gonzales and moving into more of a super utility role, embraced the opportunity to truly show the type of player he knows he's capable of being.

"It sucks obviously that Key went down, but it was a fresh start for me," Triolo said after going 1 for 4 in the Pirates' 3-2 win over the Cardinals Thursday night at Busch Stadium. "Right around that time is when I was looking at it as being a new season. Just wanted to do what I do." 

Since the middle of August, Triolo has made significant strides at the plate, slashing .272/.380/.446 with an .825 OPS over 29 starts entering Thursday's game. He's hit four home runs, collected 15 RBIs and scored 15 runs over that same span, while drawing more walks and benefitting from an adjustment he's made to his setup. He brought his hands down more and the bat head is more vertical, allowing him to drive the ball and generate more power by being able to get the bat head out front. 

For a visual, here's a homer Triolo hit during spring training ...

... and here's one he just hit against the Marlins last week: 

"Found something that worked and it feels good to be able to trust something again," Triolo said. "That's what baseball is, being consistent. Consistency is definitely key in this game, so it's good to see it now, for sure." 

It's fair for one not to place a lot of trust in Triolo's recent success considering there has been more to be desired from his 2024 season as a whole. While he's still been able to provide quality defense just about everywhere he's been on the diamond, his offensive numbers haven't ultimately resembled those of 2023 when he hit .298 with a .388 on-base percentage in 54 games. 

Through the first four months of this season, Triolo was slashing a lousy .205/.282/.283 with a dreadful .565 OPS and a .269 BABIP, a statistic that measures a player's batting average exclusively on balls hit into the field of play. It removes all outcomes not affected by the opposing defense, mainly home runs and strikeouts. To put that .269 number into perspective, the league average sits around .300. Triolo's BABIP in 2023 was a remarkable .440 and it currently sits at .344 over that aforementioned 29-game stretch in which he's found better success. 

On the year, Triolo carries a .217/.303/.315 slash line with eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 117 games. Since Aug. 17, Triolo has seen his batting average shoot up 18 points from the ugly .199 number he was sitting on prior. 

"Tri is my guy. Played with him since 2021. Been with him through all the ups and downs in the minor leagues, getting called up together, everything," Gonzales said. "To see him do well, it's not a surprise. That guy does everything the right way. I'm just as happy when he gets a hit as he is." 

Triolo's struggles over the first few months of the season proved costly with him losing out on valuable playing time due to his inefficiency. He admitted that he was constantly searching for answers while doing everything he could to remain ready when he wasn't playing every day. It remains to be seen if regular opportunities will continue to be available to Triolo once the season comes to an end, but he says he's going to continue "emptying the tank" and trying to take advantage of every opportunity that comes his way.

"Obviously didn't start the way I wanted to offensively this season. You just realize that and try to play the second half as the second half and as if it's a new season," Triolo said. "We've got nine more games, so I'm going to continue to do the same thing."