Jake Mangum was left out of the Pittsburgh Pirates' lineup for Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs, marking the third straight contest he has spent on the bench.
Mangum returned from the injured list on May 17 and started in five of the Pirates' ensuing seven games, but the club has kept him out of the lineup for three consecutive games heading into Wednesday's matchup.
Wednesday's decision comes with Marcell Ozuna handling the primary designated hitter role and regulars Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz available, while rookie Esmerlyn Valdez has been prioritized ahead of Mangum in recent lineups.
The omission reduces Mangum's immediate opportunities for at-bats. With Ozuna in the DH spot and Reynolds and Cruz healthy, playing time in the outfield and at-bats against major-league pitching are limited for bench players; Valdez's current priority in the pecking order further squeezes Mangum's path to consistent plate appearances.
The friction is clear: Mangum earned five starts in the seven games after his May 17 return, yet he is riding a three-game bench stretch now. That pattern — quick reintegration followed by abrupt sidelines — highlights how crowded the Pirates' options are in the outfield and at designated hitter.
Context matters here. Mangum’s May 17 activation gave the club an experienced left-handed bat back in the mix, but the roster picture has not cleared. The team’s present alignment puts Ozuna at DH and keeps Reynolds and Cruz available, and the club has chosen to give Valdez more chances ahead of Mangum in recent lineups.
There is no confirmation of when Mangum will next start. The Pirates have not announced a timetable for changing the current arrangement, and the club’s usage decisions will determine whether Mangum regains regular at-bats or remains a depth option while others remain healthy and prioritized.
For now, Mangum’s immediate role is defined by roster availability and lineup preference rather than injury status: he is healthy, he has shown he can start, but the team’s present choices leave his path to steady plate appearances unresolved.
