The Pittsburgh Pirates have been fighting to stay above .500 and remain in the playoff hunt this summer, but they may be without one of their best players for a while.
The Pirates received some tough injury news on Tuesday prior to the start of their six-game homestand heading into the All-Star Break. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on X that Pittsburgh rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has a torn tendon in his left ring finger.
According to Passan, Griffin might be able to play through the injury. However, "rehab is the likeliest option and would keep him out at least a month."
Pittsburgh rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin has a torn tendon in his left ring finger, sources tell ESPN. While Griffin could play through it, rehab is the likeliest option and would keep him out at least a month. Pirates already have Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz on the IL.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 7, 2026
That's terrible news for the Pirates, who are fourth in the NL Central at 46-45 and three games out of a wild card spot. Losing Griffin would further deplete a lineup that's already without Oneil Cruz and Spencer Horwitz.
Griffin, 20, was MLB's top prospect before making his Major League debut earlier this season. He's given Pittsburgh a big boost since being promoted, batting .276/.332/.404 with five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases and 1.6 WAR in 59 games.
The news is bad timing for Griffin, who's hit his stride at the plate after a slow start to the season. Over his last 36 games, he's batting .310/.365/.462 (.827 OPS) in 159 plate appearances.
Losing Griffin for an extended period of time would result in a major downgrade at shortstop for the Pirates, who will likely need to lean on Jared Triolo. On the plus side, they still have time to find a better replacement option before the Aug. 3 trade deadline if Griffin lands on the IL.