PITTSBURGH (AP) — Konnor Griffin is ready to get back to work.
The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop said Thursday that he feels good and is hopeful of being activated off the 60-day injured list on Friday when Pittsburgh opens a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
The 20-year-old Griffin hasn't played since early July due to an issue with the knuckle on the ring finger of his left hand. Griffin wore a splint for about six weeks and has played a handful of games while on a rehab assignment.
“It’s been driving me nuts watching the games on my phone,” said Griffin, who signed a massive contract extension in April shortly after making his debut. “It’ll be fun to finally be back in there competing.”
The Pirates have fallen off the pace in the National League playoff race in Griffin's absence. Pittsburgh entered Thursday's game against San Francisco 5 1/2 games back of the final wild card spot.
Pittsburgh remains intent on having Griffin return this season. The team says the risk of re-injury is small and it's important to get him more experience during the nascent stage of his career.
Griffin has been electric at times. He's hitting .276 with five homers, 25 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 59 games during a season that's been disrupted by multiple trips to the injured list.
“It’s just cool to see how my body has been able to overcome these injuries,” he said. “I feel like it’s a good sign for me. I’m pumped to be back here.”
Perhaps most importantly, Griffin is pain-free.
“I did some grip strength testing,” he said. “Those numbers were actually a lot higher than they should have been, which was a good sign for me. That gave me a lot of confidence, squeezing a bat, squeezing a glove wasn’t gonna be an issue.”
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FILE - Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) in action during a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Six relievers combined on a two-hitter to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday afternoon.
Rookie Khristian Curtis (1-0) earned the victory by working three-plus innings. The 24-year-old right-hander gave up the first two runs of his career in the seventh after 11 straight scoreless innings. Yohan Ramirez came on to limit the damage. Mason Montgomery worked the ninth for his 8th save.
The Pirates managed just five hits of their own but took advantage of some early control issues by San Francisco's Blade Tidwell (0-2) to win for the sixth time in their last nine games.
Oneil Cruz walked three times, including a first-inning bases-loaded free pass from Tidwell that drove in a run. Jake Mangum reached base four times and drove in a run when Tidwell hit him with a pitch in the first immediately following Cruz's at-bat.
Nick Gonzales' seventh-inning single pushed his season hit total to 153, the most by a Pirates right-handed hitter since Starling Marte’s 159 in 2019.
The Pirates have won five of their last six series to remain on the very fringe of the National League wild card race with just over three weeks to go in the season. The club expects rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin to return from a two-month absence due to a left ring finger issue on Friday.
Tidwell showed some nerves in his second career start. He needed 40 pitches to get through the first inning. He settled down after that, surrendering two runs in five innings, with five walks and five strikeouts.
Jung Hoo Lee had a pinch-hit RBI double for the Giants. Drew Gilbert had San Francisco's other hit.
Giants: travel to New York for a three-game set with the Mets starting Friday.
Pirates: host the Los Angeles Angels this weekend. Ryan Johnson (3-7, 5.47 ERA) starts for the Angels in the opener against Pittsburgh's Jared Jones (2-6, 4.83).
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Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Lake Bachar delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Blade Tidwell delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
San Francisco Giants pitcher Blade Tidwell collects himself after walking Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz, forcing in a run, during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
