Do Pirates have a real DH? Or do they really have too many of them?

At least for the time being, it feels like we can talk about actual on-field baseball in Pittsburgh. The Pirates are supposed to start workouts at PNC Park this week, with Major League games resuming July 23.

So — while we can before any more shutdowns — let’s talk about the Bucs team that’s trying to beat other MLB clubs.

As opposed to the league’s attempts at scoring a minor victory against coronavirus by pulling off a 60-game season.

TribLive’s Kevin Gorman joins me for our Tuesday podcast to do exactly that. He’ll be all over the return of the Buccos this week.

“I like the energy and focus and real excitement of getting back (to Pittsburgh) we are hearing from players and getting back to work,” general manager Ben Cherington said on Sunday. “I haven’t sensed a single bit of resistance from our guys about getting back and wanting to play.”

One question many local fans have is, “Do the Pirates really have a designated hitter?”

My response is, “Don’t they have too many?”

After all, Josh Bell’s hitting seems well beyond his fielding — especially when he has to throw. Colin Moran can play both third base and first base. But I don’t see him being a gold glove winner at either spot anytime soon. Ke’Bryan Hayes may be one as a third baseman, though. So that could push Moran to designated hitter.

Adam Frazier may have to get some at bats at DH if Cole Tucker absorbs shortstop and Kevin Newman gets entrenched at second base.

That’s to say nothing of Gregory Polanco whose recovering shoulder may be so far behind the curve that he may have to be a DH, or get help with deeper cutoffs.

“We’ve got a number of options to give DH at-bats to,” Cherington explained. “(Players) who were part of our major league roster last year or were in spring training. But I wouldn’t say we put any particular weight on it.”

Then there’s former first-round pick Will Craig, who has long been viewed as a bat with upside, but blocked at first base, right field and third base. But he’s not on the current 39-man big league roster. He’ll be on the 20-man taxi squad that will train at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona.

We’ll get Kevin’s take on what the Pirates will do with those situations, and what they’ll do when it comes to their middle infield spots. Because there appears to be a log jam for playing time at second base and shortstop.

Kevin also gets into the pitching rotation and how that fifth spot will have a ripple effect into the bullpen.

Then there is the most important debate. Can the racing pierogies social distance enough to stay on the field? Or is the Pirate Parrot going to be by himself once more?

Listen: Tim Benz and Kevin Gorman break down the Pirates’ DH situation and more