Alfonso Rivas Joins Pirates; Nick Gonzales Optioned to Indianapolis

Alfonso Rivas, acquired from the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline, has joined the Pittsburgh Pirates’ active roster prior to Thursday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rivas will play first base and bat leadoff for the Pirates at American Family Field on Thursday in his team debut. He will wear No. 6.

To make room for Rivas, infielder Nick Gonzales was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Rivas, 26, appeared in eight games with the Padres this season prior to the trade. In those eight games, Rivas went 3 for 15 (.200) with two doubles, one RBI and a pair of walks.

In his big league career, Rivas owns a .245/.330/.323 slash with eight doubles, tow triples, four home runs and 29 RBIs in 127 games. Two of those home runs came against the Pirates last year while Rivas was with the Chicago Cubs.

At the Triple-A level with the San Diego organization this year, Rivas hit .332 with a 1.043 OPS, 19 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 58 games.

Rivas has a strong reputation as a defender at first base and has amassed six defensive runs saved at the position. He’s also only been charged with one error in 712 chances.

Gonzales has been mired in a slump at the plate and has gone hitless in his last 14 at-bats with the Pirates.

In 31 games with Pittsburgh in his first look as a big leaguer, the 2020 first-round draft pick has hit .216 with a .621 OPS, six doubles, a triple, a pair of home runs and 13 RBIs.

Gonzales has struck out 31 times in his 112 plate appearances (27.7% strikeout rate) and has offset it by only drawing four walks (3.6% walk rate).

In Gonzales’ absence the Pirates still have a handful of middle infield options on their 26-man roster in Liover Peguero, Alika Williams, Jared Triolo and Vinny Capra.