Bell is not in Thursday's lineup against the Nationals.

EDGE Analysis

The first baseman is batting .169 in his last 59 at-bats and has just one homer in 2018. For the season, Bell is slashing .237/.305/.331. By comparison, he slashed .235/.340/.407 with four homers through the first 27 games in 2017. David Freese will start in Bell's place.

Bell is out of the lineup Thursday against the Nationals, Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bell will be joined on the bench by fellow lineup regulars Francisco Cervelli and Jordy Mercer as the Pirates wrap up their series in Washington with a matinee. With just one home run and a .237 average across 131 plate appearances this season, Bell has been a disappointment thus far for the Pirates and fantasy owners, but there's no indication that he's in any real danger of consistently losing at-bats to David Freese, who will start at first base in Bell's stead Thursday.

Bell went 0-for-4 against Washington on Monday, dropping his batting average to a season-low .232 in 112 at-bats.

EDGE Analysis

Since starting 2018 with a six-game hitting streak, the first baseman has slashed .193/.260/.261 in his last 96 plate appearances. He's collected just seven extra-base hits, including one homer, with an .089 ISO -- well below his career mark (.181 ISO). In three seasons, Bell has hit .232 through June and .270 thereafter. It's still a relatively small sample, but it's possible the 25-year-old native Texan simply hits better in warm weather. He continues to bat exclusively from the cleanup spot as Pittsburgh has shown no signs of wavering with the switch hitter.

Bell collected a pinch-hit triple Sunday against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

The triple, his first of the season, gives him three hits in his last 24 at-bats. Pittsburgh starts a six-game homestand Tuesday and Bell will face at least four right-handed starters, against whom the switch-hitter holds a career slash line of .270/.346/.461.

General manager Neal Huntington said Bell is available to pinch-hit Sunday against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Speaking on his weekly radio show Sunday, Huntington said that the team is looking to give the first baseman a rest, pairing Sunday with Monday's off-day. Bell had played in every inning of Pittsburgh's first 21 games before coming out of the sixth inning of Saturday's game as part of a double-switch.

Bell is not in the lineup Sunday against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Bell got off to a strong start this season but has now collected just two hits in his last 23 at-bats, bringing his season average down to a .244 mark. He'll get the day off to hopefully reset, with David Freese manning first base in his stead.

Bell is batting .500 with two homers and two doubles in 14 at-bats against Thursday starter Jake Arrieta.

EDGE Analysis

The first baseman snapped out of a 5-for-28 (with eight strikeouts) slide Wednesday, collecting two hits and three RBI. Although the sample size against Arrieta is minute, he's seeing the ball well once again and makes for an interesting play Thursday.

Bell went 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and three RBI in Wednesday's 10-2 win over the Rockies.

EDGE Analysis

The young switch hitter continues to produce from the heart of the Pirates' order despite not yet finding his power stroke, and Bell now sports a .278/.338/.389 slash line with only one homer but 11 runs and 13 RBI in 18 games. Expect him to start putting more balls over the fence as the weather warms up.

Bell went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 7-3 victory over the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

In addition to driving in three runs Sunday, Bell hit his fourth double of the year. While it remains to be seen if his .305 batting average will move back towards last season's mark of .255, Bell has started the season in stride and has posted a .797 OPS over 15 games.

Bell went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI in Tuesday's 8-5 win against the Cubs.

EDGE Analysis

Bell's terrific start to the season continued Tuesday, as his multi-hit effort brought his batting average up to .333 through 10 games. With eight runs scored and seven RBI in that time, Bell has been a solid source of run production as well. Going forward, Bell is in line to serve as the Pirates' everyday first baseman and should see plenty of opportunities to continue elevating the .258 career batting average he entered the season with.