New outfield a work in progress

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

All three Pirates outfielders have had defensive issues in the first homestand of the year. Gregory Polanco dropped a routine fly ball that hit his glove; Starling Marte lost an easy fly, which dropped right in front of him; and Andrew McCutchen could not get a glove on a line drive that he had just about reached.

“We play very few night games in spring training, and when we do, the lights are completely different,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “The LED lights here might have an impact. Is there a different look than our guys are used to? And then obviously coming off the bat, it’s a different look than our guys are used to.”

All three players began this year in different defensive positions. PNC Park also received new LED lights, which are supposed to provide more efficiency and reduce glare. Twelve major league parks have similar lighting systems.

“I know Seattle, they had a few challenges initially when they transitioned to the lights,” Huntington said. “We’ve compounded the different lights with a different angle.”

The outfielders have also made some nice plays. After playing a strong right field in Fenway Park, McCutchen ended an inning with a sliding catch Friday. Polanco robbed Dansby Swanson of a hit Sunday.

Kingham sidelined

Right-hander Nick Kingham’s ankle injury will keep him out of games through April and possibly into May, Huntington said.

“The challenge with Nick is going to be as much that he hadn’t gotten to five innings and 90 pitches or six innings and 100 pitches when he did roll the ankle,” Huntington said. “So there’s a build-up time, which will be really the primary challenge that we’re facing is we need to build him back up.”

Kingham was expected to begin the year with Class AAA Indianapolis and possibly be available to the Pirates later this season. He missed parts of 2015 and 2016 because of Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.

Leg pain

Josh Harrison left Sunday’s game after being hit in the lower leg with a pitch.

Harrison took his base and eventually scored in the bottom of the eighth. Due up the next inning, he grounded out and jogged gingerly to first base. He was replaced defensively in the 10th.

Passport issues

The Pirates still have not resolved the problem with Gregory Polanco’s passport, Huntington said. Polanco was unable to travel to Montreal for two exhibition games against the Toronto Blue Jays.