Stats Show How Badly Pirates Need Konnor Griffin Back

It's almost impossible to get a feel for whether the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to make the playoffs, but they're certainly in the mix. Right now, the Pirates have been one of the more interesting teams in Major League Baseball, struggling at times and also showing in others that they can be very good. 

Many factors explain why the Pirates haven't played the type of baseball we expected for parts of the season, but some are more obvious than others. At the top of that list are some of the injuries the Pirates have dealt with on both sides of the ball. 

While Pittsburgh has gotten some nice production from guys who have stepped up, one position in particular hasn't done the trick, and that's at shortstop. With youngster Konnor Griffin being placed on the 60-day IL and expected to return on Friday, it's left much to be desired at the position.

While it's been evident to the eye, the stats also back it up.

“While I’m not one to make excuses for injury woes plaguing a team, I believe we sometimes forget just how good Konnor Griffin is going to be, and how his absence has hurt the Pirates. Since his left ring finger injury on July 5, Pittsburgh’s shortstops, Jared Triolo and trade acquisition Jacob Gonzalez, have combined to bat .220 with a .597 OPS, while Pittsburgh's combined OPS mark among shortstops ranks 10th-worst in the sport.

“Griffin likely won’t save the season. But his five-tool prowess made him the game’s top prospect for a reason, and just take a look at the corner he was turning in the eight games between injured list stints: Griffin batted .306 with six stolen bases and a 115 WRC+. The simple aura of Griffin finishing out his rookie season strong after some adversity is intriguing in itself,” Aidan Stepansky wrote.

It's tough to ask a rookie to come in and save a season, as Stepansky touched on here. 

However, Griffin is good enough to come in and make a major impact on both sides of the ball. He's proven capable of swinging it at a high level when he's at the top of his game, and he can pick it at shortstop with the best of them when he's right. 

I'm curious how much his injury will affect how he looks, but it's a promising sign that he's at least coming back in a high-pressure situation, as Pittsburgh is looking to make the postseason via the Wild Card.