Nick Gonzales hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning Thursday evening at loanDepot Park before leaving with a left ankle injury. He is considered day-to-day, the team announced.
Gonzales connected with a 1-0 fastball on the inner half of the plate to give the Pirates a 4-1 lead. Joey Bart had reached base after he was hit in the middle of his back with a sweeper. Gonzales was favoring his left ankle as he rounded the bases.
Derek Shelton said afterward that Gonzales hit two foul balls off the same ankle during their matchup against the Rays on March 19 in Port Charlotte, Fla. Gonzales did have a big bag of ice on his ankle in the clubhouse after that but also played in two of the Pirates' final four Grapefruit League games.
Shelton said they had been monitoring Gonzales and were even watching him catch a pop-up in the previous half inning as well.
"It didn't look like he was moving well," Shelton said. "He felt well enough to swing in that situation, but watching him run around the bases, just didn't like what we saw."
Gonzales didn't have any ice on his ankle in the clubhouse after the game and seemed to be moving fine as he exited.
• With Oneil Cruz starting in center field today, the Pirates have used a different starting center fielder on opening day in the past eight seasons -- Michael A. Taylor, Jack Suwinski, Bryan Reynolds, Anthony Alford, Jarrod Dyson, JB Shuck and Starling Marte. Reynolds is the seventh right fielder to start on opening day in the last seven seasons -- Connor Joe, Canaan Smith-Njigba, Cole Tucker, Gregory Polanco, Guillermo Heredia and Melky Cabrera.
• The Pirates stole six bases today -- Ke'Bryan Hayes (2), Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Tommy Pham, Cruz and Reynolds -- which is the highest total for a season opener since at least 1900.
• Reynolds also became the first Pirates batter to record an RBI in three consecutive season openers since Willie Stargell did so for five straight years from 1974-78.
• With his start today, Paul Skenes became the fastest No. 1 overall draft pick to make an opening day start. Mike Moore, who was the top pick in 1981 and started the 1984 home opener, and Stephen Strasburg, who was the top pick in 2009 and made an opening day start in 2012, were the two to previously do it the quickest.
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
9:51 pm - 03.27.2025MIAMIExtra Bases: Gonzales hurt hitting home run
Nick Gonzales hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning Thursday evening at loanDepot Park before leaving with a left ankle injury. He is considered day-to-day, the team announced.
Gonzales connected with a 1-0 fastball on the inner half of the plate to give the Pirates a 4-1 lead. Joey Bart had reached base after he was hit in the middle of his back with a sweeper. Gonzales was favoring his left ankle as he rounded the bases.
Derek Shelton said afterward that Gonzales hit two foul balls off the same ankle during their matchup against the Rays on March 19 in Port Charlotte, Fla. Gonzales did have a big bag of ice on his ankle in the clubhouse after that but also played in two of the Pirates' final four Grapefruit League games.
Shelton said they had been monitoring Gonzales and were even watching him catch a pop-up in the previous half inning as well.
"It didn't look like he was moving well," Shelton said. "He felt well enough to swing in that situation, but watching him run around the bases, just didn't like what we saw."
Gonzales didn't have any ice on his ankle in the clubhouse after the game and seemed to be moving fine as he exited.
• With Oneil Cruz starting in center field today, the Pirates have used a different starting center fielder on opening day in the past eight seasons -- Michael A. Taylor, Jack Suwinski, Bryan Reynolds, Anthony Alford, Jarrod Dyson, JB Shuck and Starling Marte. Reynolds is the seventh right fielder to start on opening day in the last seven seasons -- Connor Joe, Canaan Smith-Njigba, Cole Tucker, Gregory Polanco, Guillermo Heredia and Melky Cabrera.
• The Pirates stole six bases today -- Ke'Bryan Hayes (2), Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Tommy Pham, Cruz and Reynolds -- which is the highest total for a season opener since at least 1900.
• Reynolds also became the first Pirates batter to record an RBI in three consecutive season openers since Willie Stargell did so for five straight years from 1974-78.
• With his start today, Paul Skenes became the fastest No. 1 overall draft pick to make an opening day start. Mike Moore, who was the top pick in 1981 and started the 1984 home opener, and Stephen Strasburg, who was the top pick in 2009 and made an opening day start in 2012, were the two to previously do it the quickest.
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