With two games remaining, the Pirates have begun planning ahead for their wild-card matchup against the Chicago Cubs.
“Do you need another burner off the bench, a guy to steal a base?” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Do you need the opportunity to hit for somebody late, run for somebody late and then defense for somebody late?”
The Pirates carried a third catcher on each of their past two wild-card game rosters, and Hurdle made it sound as if they would do so again.
“I’ve heard both sides of it,” Hurdle said. “People say, why would you need a third catcher?