Difo Becomes First Player Called Up From Alternate Site
For the players who were sent down to the Pittsburgh Pirates alternate training site, they expected it to be a few weeks before anyone had a chance to get a call to the Major Leagues. However, with Ke'Bryan Hayes injuring his wrist in just the second game of the season, a call was made for reinforcements from Pittsburgh. The Pirates were in need of an infielder but needed to keep versatility in mind with having just a four men bench. While many were expecting Todd Frazier to get the call, the Pirates went a different direction promoting veteran utility man Wilmer Difo on Sunday. Difo came to the Pirates this off-season on a Minor League contract and brings with him the ability to play all over the infield as well as all three outfield spots.
Difo spent the last five seasons with the Washington Nationals, where he really struggled to find his footing offensively. He made his Pirates debut yesterday as a pinch hitter and ended up grounding out in his only at-bat of the day. However, over his five-year Major League career, Difo is just a .247 hitter with 15 home runs and 79 RBI. However, the thing that has kept him in the Major Leagues is his ability to play multiple positions and do it well, at the Major League level. Over the course of his Big League career, he has played every position on the field besides first base, catcher, and pitcher. Essentially, this gives the Pirates both a fifth outfielder and another backup infielder should they need it. Today, we look at how Difo fits into the Pirates and what he brings to the table.
Adding More Versatility to the Bench
When Ke'Bryan Hayes went out of Saturday's game after just the first inning, you knew it was a bad omen for the Pirates. Turns out that Hayes will be missing more time than we thought as the Pirates sent him to the 10-day Injured List yesterday. However, Phillip Evans stepped in nicely, going 3-4 with an RBI in Hayes's absence. So, if Evans continues to perform well he will be seeing a lot more starts at the hot corner. So, the question becomes where does Difo fit in in all this? Evans is a guy who can play all around the infield and outfield, and essentially Difo will take over Evans's old role. However, Difo adds to it as he can play all but three positions on the field for the Pirates and has a career fielding percentage of .952 or higher at each of the positions.
His "primary position" throughout his career has been second base, where he has logged 1022 innings of work over his career. It is also his best defensive position on the field as he has committed just five errors in five seasons for a fielding percentage of .989. He has had similar defensive success at every position he has played except third base, where his career fielding percentage sits at .952. One big thing that makes Difo so successful in the field is his speed that allows him to cover a lot of ground. His average sprint speed is 27.8 feet per second which rank in the top 30% of the MLB. While his speed has declined slightly over the years, he still has the ability to cover a lot of ground.
With Difo being that super-utility guy, look for him to get playing time all around the diamond for the Pirates. The amount of playing time he gets, however, will more than likely be determined by how well he handles himself at the plate. He hasn't been the most consistent hitter throughout his career, with a career batting average of just .247, but if he can find a way to put the ball in play, he could be a guy the Pirates go to often off the bench. At 29-years-old, Difo is still considered a young guy, but his experience can help the young players on this team. He was in the Nationals organization, and contributed during the regular season, in 2019 when they won the World Series, and can hopefully bring some of that winning experience to Pittsburgh.
Earning His Way Onto The Roster
When the Pirates first announced this roster move, Pirates fans may be wondering why it wasn't Frazier who got the call. Well, a look at the Spring Training numbers shows that it was Difo who earned his way onto the roster. During Spring Training, Difo hit .268 with three RBI in 16 games covering 41 at-bats. He finished with an average 18 points higher than Frazier's was, and he is able to play four more positions on the field than Frazier can. With only a four-man bench at his disposal, Manager Derek Shelton wanted versatility and a guy who can fill multiple roles like Difo can. Difo still brings the veteran element to the table but earned the spot because of his versatility.
With the addition of Difo, the Pirates bench now consists of backup catcher Michael Perez, infielder Erik Gonzalez, outfielder Dustin Fowler, and Difo. The only guy on that list who hasn't played multiple positions before in his career is Perez. Everyone else can at least play three positions on the field and, with so few options from the bench, they have to find a way to get themselves into games. Those opportunities will be earned in pinch-hitting situations, and then the next step is to perform when your number gets called. As of right now, Difo is more of a fill-in player and will get sent down when Hayes comes back. However, if he can show that he can hit a little bit, he could make the Pirate's decision harder than expected.
For now, Difo will bring his strong defensive presence to the field and will most likely see a lot of time in the infield. He can be a fill-in when guys like Adam Frazier, Kevin Newman, or Phillip Evans needs a day off. However, if the Pirates ever need to sit two of their outfielders, he can also head out there and play any of the three positions effectively. The biggest player this move affects for the Pirates is Phillip Evans as it gives him an everyday starting spot in the Pirates lineup. For Difo, the call is a chance to reinvent himself with a new team and try and make himself more valuable for the Pirates and for teams that might consider him for a future roster spot.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-2) take on the Cincinnati Reds (2-1) in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park tonight at 6:40 pm. JT Brubaker (0-0, -.--) makes his season debut as he begins his first full season with Pittsburgh against Jose De Leon (0-0, -.--) for the Reds. You can watch on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along on Twitter with us at @Buccos_Cove.
Comments
Post a Comment