Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez, who has been out since May 19 with a quadriceps injury, is in the lineup and playing third base for the Gulf Coast League Pirates Monday. This suggests that he can return to the Pirates within a few weeks.
↵Bucs fans might or might not see that as a blessing. True, prior to the injury, Alvarez was hitting .208/.283/.304 in 36 games. But the Pirates' other third basemen, mostly Brandon Wood and Josh Harrison, haven't been much better, and unlike them, Alvarez is a key part of the Pirates' future. If the Bucs can get him back by mid-July and get him hitting soon thereafter, not only would that be a big help in their quest for a winning season, but it would be nice for the future of the franchise as well.
↵Alvarez is 0-for-1 so far in the GCL game. Top prospect Luis Heredia is the GCL Bucs' starting pitcher.
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