Batting 1st, Cole Tucker tries to make positive lasting impression on Pirates

Cole Tucker thought the ball had a shot of leaving the park, given the way it felt off the bat and the frequency with which the Chicago White Sox cleared the fence at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Tucker was upset he had to settle for a double, even if it served as a sign of progress in a season that has humbled the former Pittsburgh Pirates first-round pick.

After losing the shortstop competition and not making the Opening Day roster, Tucker stayed at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., to work with Triple-A hitting coach Jon Nunnally on his approach at the plate. So going 2 for 4 in the 6-3 loss Wednesday night was a good start for Tucker, who was recalled from Indianapolis on Saturday.

“That’s what we’ve been working on the whole time,” Tucker said. “It’s been a long year for me, if you look back to the end of spring training, getting optioned and staying down in Florida and working on stuff with ‘Nuns’ and those guys. It’s been a long work in progress, you know, obviously. But to have moments like that and to have the gratification pop up is really cool, and that’s what keeps you going and keeps you hungry and what we’re chasing every day.”

Tucker is getting another chance to prove to the Pirates he belongs in the big league lineup, even if it requires him to bounce all over the field. In four games, he has played in right field and at shortstop and second base, and he has batted fifth, seventh, ninth and first in the order.

Tucker has fared best batting leadoff. It’s his favorite spot in the lineup, even if he can’t explain why his numbers are so much better. It’s a small sample size, but in 10 career games batting first, including Wednesday night, Tucker is slashing .300/.326/.500, going 12 for 40 with two doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs.

“God, I don’t know. If you find out, let me know because I’ll try to apply it to when I’m hitting eighth and ninth and 14th and anywhere else, but I love it,” Tucker said. “Growing up, I always hit leadoff. Man, most of my minor-league career all the way up was all in the leadoff spot.

“I don’t know, man. It’s cool. I enjoy it. It’s exciting. I guess it’s just a human thing. I find a way to have success when I’m there. I don’t know. I know in the back of my mind that I hit better when I hit leadoff, but I don’t take that into the game every day, when I’m hitting second or eighth or ninth.”

The differences are staggering, as Tucker is hitting .218 (12 for 55) batting seventh and .146 (15 for 103) batting eighth. He fares far better in the No. 9 hole — slashing .313/.365/.521, going 15 for 48 with six doubles, two triples and two RBIs — but only appears there in pinch-hit situations or interleague games.

Before the game, Pirates manager Derek Shelton said he started Tucker at leadoff to “give him a shot at the top and try to spread out our left-handers a little bit,” despite his .111 batting average in 16 games this season and career .205 average in 109 major-league games. It paid off, as Tucker’s season average jumped 50 points in one game.

Afterward, however, Shelton gave little consideration to why Tucker fares better batting leadoff than he does lower in the lineup.

“Not much,” Shelton said. “I pay attention to the individual at-bat. I don’t really pay attention to where he’s at in the order.”

As much fun as Tucker had hitting leadoff, he is attempting to make the most of Shelton’s decisions, whether it’s the batting order or the position he plays. Tucker realizes that he’s playing for his future. He played 32 games in the outfield last season, including 20 in center, but is embracing the opportunity to play in right field since the Pirates released longtime starter Gregory Polanco.

Tucker played nine games in right field at Indianapolis and has started two games there for the Pirates. He is encountering a new challenge than last season, when fans weren’t permitted because of the pandemic.

“It’s way different this year with people yelling at you in the stands,” Tucker said. “Last year it was dead silent, and I didn’t really gameplan for that, but everyone’s got something to say about your hair, your pants, your team. It’s unbelievable. People are nuts.”

Whether it’s batting first or last, playing the infield or outfield, Tucker is treating this as a second chance — and perhaps last chance — to make a strong impression on the Pirates that he belongs in the majors.

“I feel athletic enough, and I think that I’m good enough to do it out there,” Tucker said of playing the outfield. “Going into tomorrow and the rest of the season, wherever I’m going to be slotted into the lineup, I feel confident and comfortable, and it’s fun.”