Zack Gelof: Could He Be the Pirates’ Long‑Term Third‑Base Solution?

It’s been a few frustrating seasons for Pittsburgh fans who watch the Pirates wobble around third base. After dealing Ke'Bryan Hayes to Cincinnati in the 2025 deadline, the club has been left chasing patch‑work solutions—Nick Gonzales, Jared Triolo, Jacob Gonzales, even a few late‑inning experiments with Nick Yorke. None of those options has really stuck.

Enter Zack Gelof, the 27‑year‑old third baseman who broke out for the Oakland Athletics in 2026. He posted a .256 average, .322 on‑base, .475 slugging line (an OPS of .797) over 111 games, racking up 22 home runs, 55 RBIs and 16 steals. That power surge was seven more long balls than the entire Pirates third‑base corps combined last year.

What’s more, Gelof actually learned the position in the majors. He started 66 of his 70 appearances at third base and posted +9 defensive runs saved (DRS), +1 outs above average and a +1 fielding‑run value. By contrast, Nick Gonzales logged a disastrous -15 DRS, -11 OAA and -9 FRV—the worst metrics at the spot across the league for players with at least 850 innings.

And it’s not just the glove that’s appealing. Gelof is a right‑handed hitter who thrives against left‑handed pitching, slashing .286/.342/.543 (OPS .885) versus southpaws in 2026. The Pirates were the league’s weakest team against lefties, going 18‑33 against those starters. Adding a bat that can actually punish left‑handed arms could be a game‑changer.

Contract‑wise, Gelof is entering his first arbitration year, with MLB Trade Rumors estimating a 2027 salary of about $2.9 million. That’s a modest figure for a player who could give Pittsburgh two more years of team control before he hits free agency at the end of the decade.

There are a couple of hiccups to consider. Gelof’s third‑base experience is essentially limited to that single 2026 season, and he benefited from the hitter‑friendly dimensions of Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. If he were to spend a full season at PNC Park—a park that suppresses right‑handed power—his home‑run totals might have been cut in half. Still, the upside appears to outweigh the risk.

The Athletics, meanwhile, have been in a rebuilding mindset for a while now. They’ve shown a willingness to part with young talent for the right return, especially if Pittsburgh can assemble a package that addresses Oakland’s needs.

All told, the Pirates stand at a crossroads. They could keep patching the position with internal depth, or they could make a decisive move for Gelof, a player who brings both a solid bat and a defensively promising skill set. It might just be the boost Pittsburgh needs to finally break its postseason drought that stretches back to 2015.