Jacob Gonzalez

I think that probably made it a little bit more special too.

The White Sox I mean, I'm sure they basically just threw him in to that deal, right? Like the Pirates were like, hey, we really like Jacob Gonzalez, but like give us some sort of reliever as well.

And they're like, yeah, you can have Isert.

He stinks and he goes out here.

No, it's a great how, even though Griffin hasn't necessarily been like lighting the world on fire with this hitting, he's been good enough that like, he's a real floor razor for this offense.

And I think the team was really, really missing.

And like this, I think we've already talked about the speed that he's put on the base paths, but like against the two out single, you probably don't get that from Jacob Gonzalez.

You probably don't get that from Jared trial starting at short.

But it, it gets a little bit hairy after the top three spots, uh, and so I think it introduces some uncertainty.

Um, you know, seeing Jacob Gonzalez back in town, and this was one of my concerns when they traded him was that, you know, when he had Gonzalez cooking in Charlotte, uh, and Murakami got injured, it was natural to say, "Well, Gonzalez is crushing in Charlotte, may as well bring him up, and, you know, you gotta give him some run anyway, so this is the most natural, uh, place to give him some playing time." Uh, then when they traded him, they kind of lost that hitter who was a natural replacement or someone to bring up to take that playing time to where it didn't necessarily cause alarm.

Now, Gon- the way Gonzalez is hitting in Pittsburgh maybe makes that a mirage or makes that, uh, somebody say, "Well, you know, he...

What he gave the White Sox, they're lucky to get out of him, and he's not ready for that kind of contributions yet." But without Gonzalez or without that Gonzalez type hitter, uh, from the left side and, and with the bench that they currently have, there aren't a whole lot of options unless you go with a, like Kyle Teal at DH and you use the three catcher lineup to have, you know, Jake Rogers behind the plate, and you kind of think more of a defense first approach to the lineup.

This is the lightest hit of the inning, which was kind of funny.

Jacob Gonzalez and his return to Chicago wasn't a great night for Jacob Gonzalez.

Did have a hit, but he strikes out here for the first out.

Jake Meng would hit into a force out.

We keep going.

The inning's not over yet.

Jacob Gonzalez flies out, so there's one out.

Jake Mangum, singles.

Everyone.

Everyone got a base twice, except for Jacob Gonzalez.

I do believe.

Let me double check that.

That started.

Yeah, everyone got on base at least twice.

As Merlin had one hit and Jacob Gonzalez had one hit, but as Merlin did get on base by a walk.

Everyone but Jacob Gonzalez got on base

But it's where do you play him? Because Connor Griffin is back and Jared Triolo isn't going to be playing shortstop every day.

Jacob Gonzalez isn't going to be playing shortstop every day.

We've seen Jacob Gonzalez slide over to the hot corner.

We know what Jared Triolo could provide defensively at third base.

Neither one of them is really hitting right now.

And with limited games on the schedule, you don't know if it's coming.

But you know the defense is there.

And if the Pirates want to potentially like platoon third base, you know, have Jacob Gonzalez against the right-handers, Jared Trujillo against lefties, and you know, put him in late in game defensively, you could go that route.