Matt Joyce seemed to be on a collision course with the end of his career, coming off a season when his offensive numbers were at an all-time low and his strikeout rate had spiked.
Then the 31-year old outfielder signed a minor-league deal with the Pirates and has seemingly found the fountain of youth as he is off to the best start of his career.
Through 40 games, he’s hitting .360 with a .492 on-base percentage, 1.192 OPS, five home runs and 15 RBIs in only 63 plate appearances.
Joyce’s story is not unique when it comes to the Pirates, who seem to have become masters at reviving players’ careers.