Konnor Griffin shows up twice with diving plays, then delivers the go-ahead hit as Pirates turn it on

The Pirates’ latest case study in how a return from the injured list can look better than a box score arrived in Washington on Sunday, when Konnor Griffin came through at both ends. After a stint on the IL, Pittsburgh “eased” him back into the lineup over the past 10 days, and manager Don Kelly indicated early that the ramp-up is still in progress, even as Griffin pushed the day forward with a pair of diving catches and then a go-ahead hit.

Griffin, who played shortstop for the third straight game after returning, had not started there in his previous stretch before that return, according to the account of his workload. In the fourth inning, a fly ball from Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz carried toward shallow left, but Griffin shaded behind second base and raced onto the outfield grass. Tyler Callihan closed in from left as Griffin launched into a full-extension dive, with his sunglasses knocked loose, and still managed to secure the catch to end the frame.

One inning later, Griffin’s impact shifted from preventing damage to flipping the timing of the game. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Washington’s CJ Abrams sent a ball toward the outfield grass over third baseman Nick Gonzales. Gonzales had to play in on the dirt and couldn’t reach it. Griffin, shaded up the middle again, sprinted and soared across in time for a second diving grab in as many innings, stopping the inning from spiraling.

Offense finally joined the defensive statement in the eighth inning. Griffin added a two-run single in the top of the inning, a go-ahead swing that set Pittsburgh up to expand the lead. From there, the Pirates opened the game up, turning the momentum into a decisive outcome at Nationals Park.

The result, an 11-5 victory, also mattered for how quickly the Pirates could stabilize their middle of the field roles while Griffin worked back toward his normal routine. If the recent stretch is any indication, his ability to handle shortstop responsibilities immediately, paired with the kind of instincts required for those dives, provides Pittsburgh a clearer path to continuity as the calendar moves deeper into the season.

What to watch next is how the “we’re getting there” approach translates into day-to-day usage. Griffin’s return already included a progression to three straight starts at shortstop, and Pittsburgh’s next series will reveal whether the team keeps extending his typical load or continues to treat his workload as a moving target.