Perrotto: Liover Peguero Needs Fair Shot
PITTSBURGH – Liover Peguero returned to the major leagues on Friday.
The Pittsburgh Pirates called the infielder up from Triple-A Indianapolis to take the roster spot of utility player Adam Frazier, traded to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.
Peguero’s potential has long enamored me, and he can be a good everyday middle infielder in the major leagues.
The guy needs a chance, though. Peguero wasn’t in the starting lineup on Friday night when the Pirates opened the unofficial second half by getting routed 10-1 by the Chicago White Sox at PNC Park.
The Pirates could have used a jolt as they returned from the All-Star break, looking like they were still on vacation. Peguero is a human can of Red Bull.
So, what was the point of calling him up? Beats me.
And what are the chances that Peguero will get some regular playing time? It doesn’t seem promising for the 24-year-old.
Pirates manager Don Kelly raved before the game about how Peguero has added more versatility this season by getting his first professional experience at first base, third base, and center field. That’s a disappointment, considering Peguero was once considered a premium middle infield prospect and is still too young to be turned into a jack-of-all-trades.
“All the reports coming back on Peggy have been phenomenal from Triple-A,” Kelly said. “The work that he’s put in. He’s added some versatility. Provided some consistent at-bats. Just the leadership that he showed at Triple-A, from what we heard from the staff down there, was tremendous. Looking forward to him being back and getting some playing time.”
The Pirates could use some leadership. The short number of professionals in the clubhouse dropped by one when Frazier was traded and will drop by another when shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa gets shipped away between now and the July 31 trade deadline.
I understand why Kelly has a soft spot for versatile players. He logged over six seasons in the major leagues because he could play all nine positions.
Yet I don’t get why general manager Ben Cherington is so enamored with players who play multiple positions. It’s always helpful to have a versatile roster, but no team has ever won a World Series with 10 utility players.
Peguero’s only extended playing time in the major leagues came in 2023 when he appeared in 59 games. He hit just .237/.280/.374, but did have seven home runs in 213 plate appearances. Peguero hit 20 homers combined between the majors and minors that season.
Peguero then hit 13 home runs in 129 games with Indianapolis last season, though that number dipped to five in 72 games this year before his call-up.
The power is intriguing, especially for the Pirates, who have hit a MLB-low 66 home runs in 98 games this season.
“Yeah, he could be,” Kelly said when asked if Peguero could add some pop to the lineup. “I’m excited for Peguero to get back up and be Peggy. He’s electric. He’s exciting. He brings energy.
“I feel like we’ve fallen into that at times as a team, trying to go up there and drive the ball and hit home runs. When we’ve been really good, we’ve continued to pass the baton, go gap-to-gap, go the other way, play baseball. With Peggy, the versatility he’s added this year, being able to play multiple positions and has had good at-bats, for him to continue that and allow the power to continue to come.”
You can’t hit home runs while sitting on the bench. The Pirates need to let Peguero play.
They are 20 games under .500. They have nothing to lose.