The Pirates optioned Williams from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday.
He'll move off the 28-man active roster as the Pirates clear a spot for infielder Nick Yorke, whose contract was selected from Triple-A. Williams is a career .202/.257/.271 hitter over parts of two seasons at the major-league level and hadn't seen any game action for the Pirates in a week.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Summoned from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Pirates recalled Williams from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday.
Andrew McCutchen (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. Williams has previously appeared in 25 games for the Pirates this season, producing a slash line of .210/.246/.290 with three RBI across 69 plate appearances. He'll likely serve as a depth piece in the infield behind Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Oneil Cruz and Ke'Bryan Hayes.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Activated and optioned
Rotowire
The Pirates reinstated Williams (wrist) from the 10-day injured list Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Pittsburgh will keep Jared Triolo on hand as its lone reserve infielder while Williams reports to the Triple-A club now that he's made a full recovery from the right wrist sprain that initially sent him to the IL on June 2. Williams had already been in the midst of a rehab assignment with Indianapolis, going 3-for-11 at the plate over three games.
Williams (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Williams has been absent for most of this month with a right wrist sprain but is feeling well enough to test himself in a game setting. He's eligible for activation from the 10-day injured list at any time and shouldn't need a lengthy rehab assignment, given his brief absence.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Placed on IL
Rotowire
Pittsburgh placed Williams on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a right wrist sprain.
The Pirates recalled right-hander Quinn Priester from Triple-A Indianapolis to replace Williams on the active roster ahead of Priester's scheduled start Sunday in Toronto. Williams had largely served as a short-side platoon player in the infield for Pittsburgh following his call-up from Indianapolis on May 11.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Williams was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to Saturday's game against the Cubs, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Ke'Bryan Hayes was placed on the injured list with a back issue, so Williams could see some reps in the infield in the short term. Williams was optioned Friday and never actually got into a Triple-A game. He has a .239/.271/.348 slash line with zero home runs and one steal in 51 plate appearances in the majors.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Sent down Friday
Rotowire
Williams was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
After making the Opening Day roster, Williams has produced a .239 batting average with two triples, a double, two RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base over 46 at-bats in 15 games with the Pirates so far in 2024, but he'll now head to Indianapolis. In his place, Nick Gonzales was recalled from Triple-A and will likely see most of his work at second base moving forward.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Working as reserve infielder
Rotowire
Williams went 1-for-4 with a stolen base Thursday against the Brewers.
The 25-year-old was in the lineup for the 10th time this season, as he stepped in at second base while Jared Triolo shifted to third in place of a resting Ke'Bryan Hayes. Williams has at least one hit in all but one of his starts this season, but he remains a bench option for Pittsburgh despite hitting .323 (10-for-31).
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Pirates optioned Williams to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Williams went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts the last time he appeared in Pittsburgh's starting lineup Saturday at Cincinnati and owns a rough .198/.270/.248 batting line over 112 major-league plate appearances this year. Nick Gonzales will fill his roster spot leading into the final week of the 2023 campaign.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Absent from lineup again
Rotowire
Williams is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals.
Williams has now started just two of the last six games and four of the previous 10 contests. Liover Peguero is at shortstop Thursday and appears to have usurped Williams as the preferred option at the position for the Pirates.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: On bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Williams is absent from the lineup Wednesday versus the Nationals.
Liover Peguero will start at shortstop and bat seventh as Jared Triolo handles second base and hits ninth. Williams, 24, has slashed just .217/.294/.272 through his first 103 major-league plate appearances this season with the Pirates.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: On bench again Sunday
Rotowire
Williams is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Williams is 3-for-16 with five strikeouts over his past eight contests and will hit the bench Sunday for the second consecutive game. Liover Peguero will receive another start at shortstop while Ji Hwan Bae mans the keystone.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Not starting Saturday
Rotowire
Williams isn't in the Pirates' lineup Saturday against Atlanta, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Williams will get a breather Saturday after going 2-for-5 with three strikeouts across his last two games. Liover Peguero will slide to shortstop while Williams is out, allowing Jared Triolo to start at second base and bat eighth.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Sitting Tuesday
Rotowire
Williams isn't in the Pirates' lineup Tuesday against the Royals.
After an 0-for-4 performance during Monday's series opener, Williams will take a seat for Tuesday's contest. Liover Peguero will get the nod at shortstop and bat seventh.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Retreats to bench Sunday
Rotowire
Williams is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Williams will take a seat after he started each of the Pirates' last seven games at shortstop while going 5-for-20 with two doubles, two walks, two runs and two RBI. Liover Peguero will spell him at shortstop in the series finale, but Williams appears to be the Pirates' preferred option at the position since Ji Hwan Bae returned from the injured list to take over as the Bucs' primary second baseman.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Gets Saturday off
Rotowire
Williams isn't in the Pirates' lineup Saturday against the Twins, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
After collecting a base hit in each of his last two games, Williams will take a seat Saturday against Sonny Gray and the Twins. Liover Peguero will take over at shortstop and bat eighth.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Sitting Sunday
Rotowire
Williams is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
Williams appears to have settled in as the Pirates' primary shortstop after starting at the position in each of the last five games while going 7-for-15 with two doubles, three walks and two runs. However, the rookie will be getting a breather for Sunday's series finale while Liover Peguero shifts over from the keystone to replace the resting Williams at shortstop.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Getting look at shortstop
Rotowire
Williams went 2-for-3 with a double Tuesday against the Tigers.
Williams has started four of the last five games at shortstop, pairing up with Liover Peguero to make up the Pirates' middle infield. That leaves Nick Gonzales as the odd man out for the time being, though Pittsburgh has shuffled playing time at the positions regularly this season. Williams is regarded as a big-league player primarily for his defense, and he has three hits through the first 12 at-bats of his big-league career.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Heads to bench Sunday
Rotowire
Williams is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Williams will take a seat for the series finale after he started at shortstop in each of the past three games while going 1-for-9 with an RBI. Though Nick Gonzales and Liover Peguero will draw starts at the two middle-infield spots Sunday and appear to be the Pirates' preferred options at the positions for the time being, neither player has produced well enough yet to run away with an everyday role. As such, look for Williams to stay involved and occasionally poach starts from one of the two players while he's up with the big club.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Goes to Pittsburgh in trade
Rotowire
The Pirates acquired Williams from the Rays on Friday in exchange for Robert Stephenson, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports.
The 24-year-old has slashed .237/.314/.417 with five homers and three steals for Double-A Montgomery this season and has just a .714 OPS at the level for his career. Williams was the 37th overall pick in 2020, but scouting reports that suggested he would be a glove-first shortstop have so far proven accurate.
