PIRATES

Konnor Griffin celebrated his 20th birthday in style by belting his first big-league home run off Brandon Woodruff in the third inning of the Pirates’ 6-0 win over the Brewers here tonight at American Family Field. 

Griffin, who coincidentally played in his 20th major-league game, got a 1-1 fastball right down the middle and didn't miss it, going to the opposite field for a solo homer into the Pirates bullpen: 

“I was just pumped," Griffin said of his emotions as he rounded the bases. "I’ve been working super hard behind closed doors, and to finally see some cool results show up, that was a cool moment.”

The pure joy felt in that moment was evident in the smiles on the faces of Griffin and his Pirates teammates. Even when those in the dugout gave him the traditional silent treatment and he proceeded to high-five imaginary teammates, one couldn't wipe the smile off the face of Griffin, who hid it for a short time behind the steelworker's welding helmet players wear after going deep: 

"He's been grinding," Spencer Horwitz told me. "He just turned 20 today and he's in the big leagues and he's at shortstop every day. It's a lot to put on a young man like that, and he's handled it with grace. I know he wants to be an unbelievable player, and he's going to be and he is, and to see the work that he's putting in and the adjustments that he's made, it's been very exciting for us from the standpoint of his teammate. Just excited for us this year and for the long term, too." 

With that homer, Griffin became just the third major leaguer in the Modern Era (since 1901) to homer on his 20th birthday. Buddy Lewis (WSH) did it against the Yankees on Aug. 10, 1936 and Aramis Ramirez (PIT) did it on June 25, 1998 against Kansas City. Griffin is the only one of the three to have that homer be his first in the big leagues and is the first major leaguer in the Modern Era with a home run and a stolen base on his 20th birthday.

"He couldn't do it when he was a teenager, I guess, and wanted to wait 'til he turned 20," Paul Skenes said. "It's good to see. First of many. Glad he got it out of the way. The league better be on notice, because he's coming."

Griffin, who ended up collecting three hits and driving in three runs, joined Barry Bonds (25th birthday, July 24, 1989 vs. the Dodgers) as the only Pirates in the Modern Era with two hits, including a home run, and a stolen base on his birthday. He's the seventh major leaguer in the Modern Era with three hits, including a home run, a stolen base and three RBIs on any birthday, joining St. Louis (AL)'s Beau Bell on Aug. 20, 1937 vs. Detroit, Cincinnati's Ival Goodman (July 23, 1938 vs. Philadelphia), New York (AL)'s Jerry Mumphrey on Sept. 9 (G1), 1981 vs. Milwaukee, Cincinnati's Eric Davis on May 29, 1987 at Pittsburgh, Houston's Derrick May on July 14 (G1), 1996 at New York and Arizona's Wellington Castillo on April 24, 2016 vs. Pittsburgh.

"For a young kid who’s learning how to play at the major-league level, five games in Triple-A under his belt, you can get caught up in that easily," Don Kelly said. "The way he’s ran the bases, the way he’s played defense, he’s helped us win games. I look back at the walk against the Nationals, next thing you know, (Cade) Cavalli’s speeding up. He threw the whole inning off just because he got on base. He’s helped us win in so many ways. Then tonight obviously with the big home run and big hits." 

Up to this point, Griffin has certainly experienced all that playing in the major leagues has to offer. At times, he's looked like a young kid adjusting to the highest level of competition. Then there are other times when you realize he was the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball for a reason and there's a reason why he's playing in the big leagues at the age of 20. 

There will be plenty of growing pains along the way in 2026, but perhaps a performance like this, one that allowed him to get that first homer out of the way, can help him focus on what's to come in the present and in the future. 

“Hopefully the first of many," Griffin said of the homer. "It was cool to get it done tonight, have the first one under the belt. Now just continue to stack winning days and hopefully a lot more to come."