Latest News Kazuma Okamoto
Outlook Nick Gonzales
Nick Gonzales Slumping at the Hot Corner as Regression Knocks on the Door
Nick Gonzales is in the midst of a cold spell, batting just .213 with a single home run over his last 14 days. His slump coincides with a mediocre stretch for the fourth-place Pirates, who sit at an even 39-39 in the NL Central standings. Despite his recent struggles, Gonzales remains locked in as Pittsburgh's primary third baseman.
This recent skid is a sharp contrast to Gonzales's overall 2026 performance, where he is batting .293 across 72 games. However, our rest-of-season models suggest his early-season surge was a bit of a fluke. Our projection expects him to regress toward a .259 batting average and only eight home runs, meaning fantasy managers should expect a more modest utility-like profile moving forward.
The Pirates have a six-game home slate this week, but Gonzales will face a challenging gauntlet of pitchers. Difficult matchups against Seattle's Bryce Miller (1.58 ERA) and Cincinnati's Chase Burns (2.01 ERA) outweigh friendlier dates with George Kirby and Brady Singer. Given his current cold streak and tough matchups, keep him on your bench. Verdict: Sit.
Updated 1 day ago
