CHICAGO -- When Jung-ho Kang went down two weeks ago, it looked like it would have been a huge blow for the Pirates. They were losing their second-best hitter on the season, and their best hitter during the second half. There wasn't anyone on the roster who looked like they could replace Kang's production, with only a few people who might be able to see an increase in playing time and help mitigate the loss.
And that's when Jordy Mercer stepped up.
Mercer had a .237/.289/.304 line in 361 plate appearances this season prior to Kang's injury.