Pedro Alvarez (foot) is expected to prepare for an everyday role at first base in 2015, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Alvarez (foot) is expected to prepare for an everyday role at first base in 2015, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Analysis:

In dropping Ike Davis from their 40-man roster Thursday, the Pirates effectively cleared the path for Alvarez to play first base, after the former NL home run champ regressed defensively at third base last season. Despite Alvarez's career-long struggles against left-handed pitching, GM Neal Huntington indicated the team would prefer to avoid using the slugger in a platoon with Gaby Sanchez. Such an arrangement is unlikely to prove kind to Alvarez's batting average, but some more guaranteed plate appearances could allow him to reemerge as a 30-home run hitter.