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It appears to be nothing more than a routine night off for the 30-year-old outfielder. Bryan Reynolds will cover left field in his place while Brandon Lowe functions as the team’s designated hitter against Dodgers’ right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Mangum has now led off in 27 straight starts dating back to July 7, but it’s a role he likely won’t retain once Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin are healthy again. The Pirates have scuffled badly, dropping 10 of 13 since July 28. Mangum’s solo shot was one of just four hits they could muster on Sunday afternoon.

Mangum’s first double, a 369-foot fly to right, would have been a homer in 17 ballparks. Playing regularly with Oneil Cruz absent, the 30-year-old Mangum has hit .306 with two homers, 19 runs scored and seven steals in 31 games since the beginning of July. Power isn’t at all his game — tonight’s barrel was just his fourth of the year — but thanks to a rather stunning .354 BABIP, he’s managed to hit .298 in 773 plate appearances since debuting with the Rays last season.

Mangum ambushed a first-pitch slider from Reds’ right-hander Hunter Greene for a 336-foot (100.1-mph EV) solo shot in the second inning that gave the Pirates a 3-2. He also added an RBI single during the Pirates’ three-run uprising in the eighth inning. With his two-hit attack, the 30-year-old outfielder is slashing .304/.353/.382 with three homers, 23 RBI and 20 stolen bases on the season.

Mangum was a late scratch from the nightcap of Wednesday’s doubleheader due to soreness in his right foot. It appears to have been just a minor issue though and he’s right back in center field and batting atop the Pirates’ lineup on Friday evening against Cubs’ left-hander Matthew Boyd.

Mangum went 2-for-5 with an RBI and his 19th stolen base of the season during the front-end of the twin bill. He’ll undergo further evaluation and there should be an update on his status prior to Friday’s series opener against the Cubs. The 30-year-old has emerged as Pittsburgh’s primary leadoff hitter since rookie Konnor Griffin hit the injured list earlier this month. It’ll be Billy Cook taking over in center field with Nick Gonzales moving up to the leadoff spot.

He had three of the Pirates five RBIs and one of the runs — he was also the only player with more than one hit — and is building a case as a waiver wire find after Konnor Griffin hit the injured list earlier this week. Mangum has just two homers, but he does have 18 stolen bases and is currently hitting .311. That skill set and the run opportunities at the top of the lineup should make him a viable starter in most leagues.

Mangum draws his second consecutive opportunity in the leadoff spot since rookie phenom Konnor Griffin hit the injured list with a finger injury earlier this week. The 30-year-old is hitting .305 (65-for-213) with one homer and 17 steals in 71 games this season. He brings enough speed to be a meaningful fantasy contributor, particularly in deeper mixed leagues. With Griffin sidelined until early September, a more permanent role atop Pittsburgh’s lineup should result in additional running opportunities and a steady stream of runs scored. He looks like a strong waiver wire target for fantasy managers heading into the second half, even in shallow mixed leagues.

Mangum got the Pirates on the board in the fourth inning with an RBI single off of Max Meyer that plated Nick Gonzales and pulled them to within a run at 2-1. That would be as close as they would get. With his two-hit attack. the 30-year-old outfielder is now slashing a healthy .302/.355/.360 with one homer, 11 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 155 plate appearances on the season.

Mangum took Bailey Ober deep in the second inning for a solo homer, his first of the season. He then singled in the fifth to drive in a run and added a hit, a stolen base, and a run scored in the seventh. The 30-year-old outfielder has seen sporadic playing time, starting three of the last seven games. He’s hitting .267/.339/.317 with one homer, 16 runs scored, eight RBI, and seven steals across 114 plate appearances.

The 30-year-old outfielder had been shelved since May 6 due to a left hamstring strain. Before he was sidelined, Mangum had been hitting .260/.333/.288 with zero homers, three RBI and five stolen bases in his first 82 plate appearances. Ryan O’Hearn (quad) landed on the injured list in a corresponding move on Sunday.

Mangum was a late scratch from Thursday’s lineup due to the hamstring issue and was feeling even worse on Friday, so the Pirates felt it was prudent to place him on the injured list. Nick Yorke was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move to take his place on the Pirates’ active roster.

The 30-year-old outfielder is currently being treated by the Pirates’ medical staff. Bill Cook will start in his place in center field and will bat eighth for the Pirates against Diamondbacks’ right-hander Zac Gallen.

Mangum reached on a bunt single to load the bases in the second inning then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bryan Reynolds. He then led off the sixth inning with a single and rode home on Oneil Cruz’s two-run blast. He’s now hitting .261 (6-for-23) with zero homers and one RBI in the early going of the 2026 season.

Mackey reports that he believes Mangum will be used often as a defensive replacement when he doesn’t start, but he may only start three or four times a week. Mangum is a switch-hitter, so he does not need to be platooned, but with Marcell Ozuna entrenched as the designated hitter, the Pirates have Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, and Ryan O’Hearn slated for regular outfield at-bats. Mangum figures to start against all left-handed pitching, but Mackey also believes the Pirates will sometimes rest 35-year-old Marcell Ozuna and move O’Hearn to designated hitter so that Mangum can get into the outfield. That could lead to more playing time than expected, but might still only be about 400 plate appearances for Mangum this season.

Mangum hit at the top of the lineup and was able to drive in a pair in the process. The 29-year-old was acquired in the three-team trade that sent Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh as well, and he’ll likely see playing time at all three outfield positions; albeit not necessarily as a starter to begin the season.

Mangum was solid in 2025 for Tampa Bay in his first chance to be a regular, and he hit .296/.330/.368 with 27 stolen bases in his 118 games. The former Mississippi State star offers very little power, and his fantasy value is limited because of it. Still, he could be a helper in the average and steals category in 2026.