MIAMI - Gift Ngoepe will be making his first MLB start tonight, playing second base with Josh Harrison moving over to third and David Freese out of the lineup. Freese is missing his third straight game with a hamstring issue, although he's on the lineup card in the clubhouse as available off the bench.
The Pirates have moved Josh Harrison to third base in each of the last two games, with Alen Hanson and Phil Gosselin each getting starts at second base. Ngoepe will get a turn tonight, bringing his elite defense to the big leagues, with the hope that he can repeat his offensive performance from the other night when he went 1-for-2 with a walk in his pro debut.