It was clear something was wrong with Nick Gonzales as he rounded first base after homering for the Pirates in what became one of the weirdest injuries of the early season
Pittsburgh’s second baseman suffered a nondisplaced left ankle fracture just before entering his home run trot after smashing a two-run blast to right in the sixth inning of Thursday’s 4-3 Opening Day win over the Marlins at loanDepot Park.
Gonzales, who you could see pull up with a little skip before reaching first base, proceeded to limp around the bases and was lifted from the game for Adam Frazier.
He was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday and is going back to Pittsburgh to see a foot specialist. There is no timetable yet for his return.
“Just watching him run around the bases, just didn’t like what we saw,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton told reporters after the game.
The 25-year-old Gonzales did foul multiple pitches off his ankle during a March 19 spring training game. But he showed no ill effects until the Pirates noticed him looking a bit off while snagging a pop-up in the fifth inning of Thursday’s game.
It is the second injury the Pirates have suffered in the infield as first baseman Spencer Horwitz had to have wrist surgery.
Gonzales was expected to be part of an emerging Pirates young core along with Oniel Cruz and Paul Skenes, and a consistent run producer as he tried to build off a solid 2024 season.
The No. 7 overall pick in 2020 hit .270/.311/.398 with seven homers and 49 RBIs in 94 games a year ago.
The Pirates called up 26-year-old Emmanuel Valdez to replace Gonzales on the roster.
“Versatility, left-handed ability to hit,” Shelton said of Valdez. “We knew he could hit when we acquired him. Valdy has shown the ability to hit. The fact that he can play all over the diamond is something that we kinda value.”
