MIAMI — During a six-game span in which the Pirates will face five left-handed starters, manager Clint Hurdle and his staff dig deep to determine the best lineup. The bunch of opposing left-handers coincides with a time when two of Hurdle’s left-handed hitters have drastically improved their platoon splits.
Pedro Alvarez is having his best season against left-handers, and Gregory Polanco has hit them much better in the second half of this season.
Alvarez had a .304 average, a .333 on-base percentage and a .457 slugging percentage — albeit in only 48 plate appearances — against left-handers this year entering Thursday’s game.