Pirates A to Z: After strong start at plate, Erik Gonzalez finished as starting shortstop

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Trevor Williams. (The only MLB player with a surname that starts with Z is Detroit Tigers pitcher Jordan Zimmerman).

Erik Gonzalez

Position: Shortstop

Bats/Throws: Right/right

Age: 29

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 210 pounds

2020 MLB statistics: Batted .227/.255/.359 with 13 doubles, one triple, three home runs and 20 RBIs in 50 games.

Contract: Enters second year of arbitration eligibility after agreeing to $725,000 last season.

Acquired: Traded by the Cleveland Indians, along with minor-league pitchers Tahnaj Thomas and Dante Mendoza, in exchange for outfielder Jordan Luplow and infielder Max Moroff in November 2018.

This past season: Gonzalez began the season at third base and ended it as the starting shortstop, which is the opposite of how his first season with the Pirates went.

Whether he seized the starting job is another story.

But Gonzalez distinguished himself defensively at a crowded position, providing an upgrade over Kevin Newman and playing well enough that the Pirates never used Cole Tucker there.

A year earlier, Gonzalez lost his job when he fractured his collarbone in a collision in center field with Starling Marte. Gonzalez became a utility player, getting time at left field and third base.

“I’ve been able to prove that I can play full-time in the big leagues the entire season,” Gonzalez said in September, through team interpreter Mike Gonzalez. “My key is to remain healthy.”

#Pirates Erik González has been a hot topic so far. He had many mechanical changes/tweaks in 2019.

Left: how he ended 2019 vs Right: the change in 2020.

-Crouched
-Hands/Bat different starting point
-More compact from start to finish

Production Breakdown (Thread) ⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/5e7YasrR37

— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) August 17, 2020

What was a surprise was how well Gonzalez hit — for a stretch. Over an eight-game span from Aug. 3-14, he batted .452 with six doubles, one home run and nine RBIs.

The highlight of his season came Aug. 7 in a 17-13 loss to the Detroit Tigers in 11 innings, when Gonzalez went 4 for 5 with six RBIs. That included a 443-foot homer with a 106.7 mph exit velocity to the left-field bleachers at PNC Park.

uhhhhhhhh second deck at PNC Park is very rare and this is *checks notes* Erik González??? what a swing, my goodness pic.twitter.com/q6kX7eEwUj

— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) August 8, 2020

“I found a really good place in my swing,” Gonzalez said. “I feel very comfortable. I feel very confident where I’m at with my swing. Even though right now there are challenges going on, I really trust where I’m at right now with the swing. I don’t want to give up on it. When you catch a wave, you learn how to dominate this big wave.”

But Gonzalez followed that hot streak by going cold. Over the next nine games, he hit .162 with one double, one homer and four RBIs. After batting .282 in August, he hit .184 in September.

That taught Gonzalez a lesson, showing him what he needed to work on this offseason.

The future: Since breaking into the big leagues with Cleveland in 2016, Gonzalez has longed for a chance to prove he can be an everyday player.

The Pirates gave him that opportunity, even if it was over a 60-game season. Despite a career-low batting average, Gonzalez believes he is best suited to bat fifth or sixth in the lineup so that he can drive in runs.

“If I’m ever blessed with that opportunity and they position me in that situation, I’m very confident that throughout the season I’ll be able to bring in around 80, 80-plus RBIs,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve had experiences in the minor leagues where I’ve pushed 70-plus. Right now, the way that I feel in the big leagues, I really am confident that if I’m blessed with that decision, I’ll be able to push up 80 or 80-plus RBIs. Be careful, I’ll bring those 15 home runs as well.”

That’s quite the bravado for someone who has nine home runs and 53 RBIs in 585 career at-bats. And Gonzalez could be pushed for playing time by not only Newman and Tucker but also No. 3 prospect Oneil Cruz next season.

Gonzalez realized he needs to get stronger if he wants to perform over a 162-game season. He planned to play winter ball in his native Dominican Republic for Leones del Escogido and focus on training to increase his strength and stamina.

“I know what I need to work on in my body,” Gonzalez said, pointing to his shoulders and legs. “Right now I plan to put my body in a good position for next year, to take 500 at-bats. This year helped me a lot. In past years, I don’t play like this year. This year helped me a lot thinking what I need my body to be like for 500 at-bats.”

Check out the entire Pirates A to Z series here.