Three things to watch as Bucs aim to finish strong in September

PITTSBURGH -- Sometimes it’s not about how you start but how you finish.

The 2025 season largely has not been what the Pirates expected or hoped for, with much of the focus the past few months centering around trying to make the 2026 team competitive. They’ve played better baseball of late -- they’re 26-27 since July 1 after beating the Dodgers, 9-7, at PNC Park Tuesday night -- and this last month of the season is an opportunity for players to make a positive impression going into the offseason.

Now that the calendar has turned to September, here are three things to watch over the final four weeks of the season.

1. Can Jared Triolo finish strong?

Triolo was at the heart of the Pirates’ rallies Tuesday, kicking off a four-run first inning with a leadoff ground-rule double before doubling home two runs as part of a three-run sixth in which Pittsburgh took the lead for good.

That’s been the norm for him lately. Triolo slashed .315/.417/.467 over the month of August and was worth 1.2 fWAR, a massive improvement after posting a .519 OPS and -0.2 fWAR before being optioned to the Minors on July 11.

So what’s going on? Does the baseball just look like a beach ball right now?

"I wish I could say it did,” Triolo said, grinning. “It looks similar, just the balls are falling now and finding gaps. It feels good."

Triolo is a Gold Glove defender, but he hasn’t been consistent with the bat. He finished strong the past two years, and he has a chance to do so again in a pivotal year of his career. Ke’Bryan Hayes and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are gone, so the left side of the infield is wide open going into 2026. The Pirates will check the free agent and trade markets, but if Triolo finishes strong, it could take one less position off the shopping list this winter.

Games like Tuesday, when he went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs and a stolen base, are a showcase of why he should be in consideration for either the shortstop or third base job.

"He's having great at-bats,” manager Don Kelly said. “He's playing great defense. The stolen base [in the eighth inning] -- he gets on late there and steals second -- that was a huge run, being able to go up by three. He's playing great baseball right now."

2. Who else gets infield reps?

Triolo has been essentially the everyday shortstop since August, and it’s safe to assume he’ll get plenty of reps there and at third down the stretch. But what about the rest of the infield?

Nick Yorke, the team’s No. 11 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was recalled as part of the expanded September rosters and got the start at first base on Tuesday. He went 1-for-2 before being pinch-hit for by Spencer Horwitz, but the utilityman left a good impression in his brief cameo at his new position.

“I thought he did well,” Kelly said. “Moving around the bag. Like we said, it's hard to find ways when you're used to always going after the ball when you go to first base and the ball's hit to your right but you’ve got to go left. He's moving around really well.”

Yorke could also play second base and corner outfield, Kelly said pregame, and Liover Peguero, Cam Devanney and Ryan Kreidler are candidates to get reps on the left side of the infield. Nobody there should be a shoo-in for a starter job, but a quality September could put them on the radar for a job this Spring Training.

3. What do we see from Bubba Chandler?

After two dazzling appearances to start his career, Chandler looked human Tuesday. Shohei Ohtani turned on a 99 mph fastball and hit one out even faster in the third inning. The Pirates' No. 2 prospect would end up with his second win, allowing six hits, including two homers, over four innings of three-run ball, with three strikeouts on his ledger.

His talent is immense, and he will be part of the team’s rotation plans for 2026. Pitching well enough to make a proper start instead of coming out of the bullpen would go a long way towards proving that.

“This is my first big league September, but I’ve been through a lot of Minor League Septembers,” Chandler said when asked what a successful month would look like. “Just kind of keep that routine, put stuff in my body that’s gonna help me be strong the rest of the year. It’s a different grind up here, but it’s definitely something. I’m glad I’m here.”