Pirates A to Z: With a shot as a starter, Phillip Evans couldn't avoid injures, inconsistent bat

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 Miguel Yajure.

Player: Phillip Evans

Positions: First base, third base, outfield

Throws: Right

Bats: Right

Age: 29

Height: 5-foot-10

Weight: 210 pounds

2021 MLB statistics: Evans batted .206/.312/.299 with five doubles, five home runs and 16 RBIs in 76 games.

Contract: Not eligible for arbitration until 2023.

Acquired: Signed to a minor league contract in December 2019.

This past season: After a broken jaw suffered in a collision with Gregory Polanco ended his 2020 season, Evans endured a long offseason.

“I mean, it was tough,” Evans said. “It was a long process watching the boys last summer, and made the offseason a little longer for myself, but I took advantage in my workouts and my rehab and just thought about how hard that process was, and once I got back on the field, I wasn’t going to be wasting any time out here.”

Evans embraced the opportunity to showcase his versatility for the Pirates, and he played at least 14 games at both corner infield and outfield positions and even pitched a perfect inning in a 14-1 loss at the Cincinnati Reds on April 6, retiring the side on five pitches.

“I feel very comfortable with him in both corners of the outfield, at first, at third,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Evans, who also had the unofficial role of emergency catcher. “So he has the ability to bounce around, but feel comfortable with him in all four spots.”

By midseason, Evans had seven gloves in his locker. He also had two pairs of sunglasses, after learning the hard way by losing a fly ball in the sun while playing left field at Target Field in Minneapolis. If nothing, Evans showed that he was as resourceful as he is resilient.

“Being the utility guy, that’s the role, right? You hop in and take over as best you can when those guys are out and carve out some playing time,” Evans said. “That’s my mentality going into this season anyway, so I’m kind of back where I started.”

The rest of his season didn’t go so smooth, as injuries once again plagued Evans despite opportunities to start. When Ke’Bryan Hayes injured his left hand, Evans started eight games at third base in April. When Colin Moran strained his groin in early May, Evans started three consecutive games at first base before pulling his left hamstring.

When Moran fractured his left hand in early July, Evans got five more starts in a six-game span at first base but suffered a concussion while sliding into third base against Atlanta.

“You never want to miss time,” Evans said. “I think I’ve battled a lot of adversity over the years. It doesn’t get to me mentally at all. When that stuff happens, you rehab as best you can and try to get back and help the team win as fast as you can.”

Evans didn’t help his cause at the plate. He hit .203 (38 for 187) in 53 games as a starter, and finished with a .190 average against right-handed pitchers. He batted .232 in the first month of the season, when he played 23 games, but only .180 in 20 games in June after returning from the IL.

“If you’re hitting you’re going to be in the lineup,” Evans said. “That’s sort of where my mentality is at, whether it be pinch hits or starting, that’s not going to change — before the injury or not. I’m going to play hard out there every day.”

That explains why Evans finished the season in Triple-A, as the Pirates turned to newcomers Hoy Park and Michael Chavis in utility roles after acquiring both at the trade deadline. Evans slashed .252/.333/.331 with 10 doubles and 10 RBIs in 38 games for Indianapolis.

Oh my, Phillip Evans ???? pic.twitter.com/jKr2uAXe0c

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 17, 2021

The future: The Pirates value Evans’ versatility at the corners and with Erik Gonzalez gone, there is no clear-cut backup for Hayes at third base or Moran at first.

Evans, however, will have to contend with not only Chavis and Park but also Rodolfo Castro, Tucupita Marcano and Cole Tucker for the utility role as the Pirates trend toward a youth movement.

A positive sign for Evans is that they kept him while outrighting Wilmer Difo, an infielder who proved his prowess as a pinch hitter. But Evans’ spot on the 40-man roster could be at risk when the Pirates decide which prospects to protect from the Rule 5 Draft.