PT TOMORROW: NL Central—Moran’s time has arrived in PIT

Pittsburgh Pirates

Part of the return for Gerrit Cole (RHP, HOU) from the Astros, Colin Moran (3B, PIT) enters the year poised to receive everyday at-bats at third base. The 25-year-old Moran had a breakout 2017 in Triple-A, increasing his FB% to 40% from a 30% mark in 2016. He hit 18 HR in 302 AB prior to his July call-up to Houston for what would have been a month of regular at-bats as an injury fill-in, only to foul a ball off his face and go onto the DL in his second game there. This will be Moran’s first extended MLB opportunity.

He supplants last year’s primary starter David Freese (3B, PIT). Freese could pick up some hot corner at-bats against southpaws, who he had an .839 OPS against last season. He can also spell Josh Bell (1B,...

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