2004 1st round pick Neil Walker will make his season debut tonight for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Walker will start at third base and bat second behind Aki Iwamura who will bat leadoff.
Walker gets the start at third as Andy LaRoche remains limited with a bad back.
Management has made it sound like that Walker has not been called up to replace Aki Iwamura at second base. Walker made 21 starts at second base for Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates intend to stick with Iwamura for the time being. Iwamura is the teams highest paid player.
Lastings Milledge will return to the lineup and bat 5th.
Garrett Jones will start at first base. Jeff Clement will sit.
Pirates lineup
1. Aki Iwamura — 2B
2. Neil Walker — 3B
3. Andrew McCutchen — CF
4. Garrett Jones — 1B
5. Ryan Church — RF
6. Lastings Milledge — LF
7. Ryan Doumit — C
8. Ronny Cedeno — SS
9. Paul Maholm — P