What's next? Pirates must play 63 games this season without Adam Frazier

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to meet their own expectations in the process of rebuilding the minor league system with young players.

But that’s only part of the journey toward what really matters: eventual playoff contention.

Three young prospects with specific skills — Tucupita Marcano (sharp batting eye), Jack Suwinski (Double-A power) and Michell Miliano (59 strikeouts in 30 Single-A innings) — came aboard from the San Diego Padres organization in a trade for All-Star Game starter Adam Frazier.

That followed trades of veterans Josh Bell, Joe Musgrove, Jameson Taillon and Clay Holmes that produced 16 new faces, including major league pitchers Wil Crowe and David Bednar and 14 others with an average age of just over 21 1/2.

Those trades took seven months to come together and the road toward the playoffs is even longer, but the Pirates have other requirements that need addressed immediately (or, at least, as soon as Tuesday):

The remaining 63 games this season, and how to replace Frazier’s .324 batting average and solid glove. After a day off Monday, the Pirates open a three-game series Tuesday against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.

Mercano, 21, won’t be part of the immediate answer after playing in only eight games at second base with the Padres this season. General manager Ben Cherington said Mercano will report to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Wilmer Difo, who replaced Frazier on Sunday when he was pulled in the eighth inning, might get the first shot. He has played 162 games at second base with only five errors in seven seasons.

Rodolfo Castro, 22, who hit three home runs in his major league debut stint earlier this month, might figure into the mix at some point. He’s playing third base and second base at Double-A Altoona — mostly third — and Cherington wants to ensure he gets enough development time. Before his seven games and 16 plate appearances with the Pirates this month, Castro never had played above Double-A.

“We like Rodolfo a lot, feel great about the year he’s had, made a ton of strides,” Cherington said. “He’s also really young. Coming into the year, we felt like this was his year to be in Double-A. He’s been forced into action at the major league level a couple times. He’s done a great job. So, we’ll see where that goes.

“We’d love to see Rodolfo get really consistent playing time. That’s No. 1.”

Also, veteran infielder Erik Gonzalez could be considered as soon as next week. Gonzalez is “slightly ahead” of schedule in his projected four-to-six-week recovery from a right oblique strain, according to Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk. Gonzalez was put on the injured list July 2, but he was taking ground balls and playing catch out to 90 feet last week.

“Obviously, I want (manager Derek Shelton) to write out the lineup,” Cherington said. “Feel good that we’ll have guys who can jump in and do a good job at second base who are on the team now. Maybe re-visit that question after the deadline and see where we are.”

Only a few hours later Monday, Cherington added two more minor-league second basemen to the organization, trading Holmes to the New York Yankees for Hoy Jun Park and Diego Castillo.

In any case, the Pirates did break up a reliable middle-infield combination of Newman and Frazier that was performing well in its third season. Newman leads major league shortstops with a .997 fielding percentage (one error/290 chances), and Frazier goes to San Diego with a .986 percentage (fourth in the majors), with five errors in 362 chances.

Frazier punctuated his Pirates career Saturday night in San Francisco, sprinting far to his left and into shallow right field to grab Buster Posey’s ground ball, spin, throw and get the out at first base.

That showed off Frazier’s athleticism, but the Pirates have been reliable with the glove on routine plays, committing only 47 errors, fourth-fewest in the National League.

“I mean, if you look at Frazier and those guys up the middle, they played unbelievable,” pitcher Chad Kuhl said after Friday’s victory in San Francisco. “The infield to be what it is is just a blessing. I think that we’ve played some really good games defensively.”