Pittsburgh Pirates likely to bench Pedro Alvarez for Josh Harrison

When it comes to Pedro Alvarez, there is one thing the Pittsburgh Pirates slugger does very well and that’s hit home runs. Of course, that’s about the only thing the veteran does well.

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Many believed that Pedro Alvarez was the next big thing as he quickly emerged through the Pirates’ minor league system and while he’s never disappointed in terms of his power, just about every other facet of his game has been frustrating to watch.

Never much of a defender, Alvarez will occasionally make a solid pick but his throws to first base are always an adventure. From overthrowing first to throwing a scud in the dirt, Alvarez is completely unreliable from a defensive standpoint.

Combine that will his sub-par hitting ability (sans the power) and you’ve found yourself a third base version of Ryan Howard. That’s not exactly what the Pittsburgh Pirates were hoping for and given the impressive play of Josh Harrison, it’s likely that Pedro Alvarez will now find himself on the bench.

First base is the needed position for Alvarez given his inability to throw across the diamond, though, how effectively he can play defense there is unknown. He’ll certainly need some work on picking ground balls, though his time at third base should help expedite that.

There’s no doubt that Alvarez’s power bat is a threat in the Pirates’ lineup, but they’re a better team when Harrison is at the hot corner and for now that’s likely to come at the expense of Alvarez.