By extending MLB-best scoreless streak, Richard Rodriguez captures Pirates' closer role

Derek Shelton has been reluctant to name a closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates, so Richard Rodriguez made it easy on his manager by seizing the job with the longest scoreless streak in baseball.

Asked if that makes him The Closer — yes, with a capital C — Shelton simply shrugged.

“If you like to use labels, I guess you can use it,” Shelton said. “Well, he’s pitched in the ninth inning when we’ve had the lead a bunch, so if you want to label it that, I guess you can label it that.”

It’s a label Pirates fans have come to love after having a dominant closer for the past decade and, at least through the first 23 games, Rodriguez has the early look of being the next All-Star to follow in the footsteps of Joel Hanrahan, Jason Grilli, Mark Melancon and Felipe Vazquez.

Rodriguez earned his fourth save of the season Tuesday in the 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals, retiring the side in a nine-pitch ninth inning that ended on Michael A. Taylor’s swinging strikeout.

“Rich Rod has been unbelievable,” Pirates first baseman Colin Moran said. “I don’t know if you can pitch any better than he’s been pitching.”

Rodriguez extended his scoreless streak to an MLB-best 21 innings, dating to last season, when he walked Jace Peterson and gave up a two-run walk-off homer to Eric Sogard in the ninth inning of a 7-6 loss Aug. 29 at Milwaukee.

Rodriguez finished last season without allowing a run, giving up six hits and three walks while holding hitters to a .158 batting average and striking out 16 of the 42 batters he faced.

This season, Rodriguez has been dominant despite relying almost exclusively on one pitch — a four-seam fastball that sits at 93 mph with pinpoint location. He throws the four-seamer on 89.6% of his pitches (113 of 126), occasionally mixing his slider.

“It’s amazing to watch,” Pirates left-hander Tyler Anderson said. “We just make fun of him when he throws a slider, like ask him why he got scared. Richie’s — I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again — he’s just got a really slow heartbeat. Ballgames are won with slow heart rates and slow heartbeats. He’s a perfect example of that.”

Since the 1-6 start, Rodriguez has become the pulse of the Pirates bullpen. That was especially true during their 10-day road trip, starting with earning the victory by pitching two scoreless innings — including the 10th with a runner on second — in a 6-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on April 18. Rodriguez closed out a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on April 21 for his second save, and he got his third save with a 1-2-3 ninth in the 4-2 win over the Tigers on April 22.

No wonder Shelton said he “wouldn’t be hesitant” to use Rodriguez in future close games and save situations before Tuesday’s game, when the right-hander faced the heart of the order with a one-run lead.

“I mean, we used him on the road in a tie situation, and he pitched two innings,” Shelton said. “I think with him, we can play to the leverage, but I think it’s safe to say most of the time he’s going to pitch with the lead in the ninth.”

The way Rodriguez approaches the game has provided a calming approach for the pitching staff, believing he will continue to close the door on victories with strong performances.

“When he goes out there, he feels really comfortable on the mound,” Anderson said, “and it’s always good to see him in the ballgame because usually that means we have a lead.”

The position players behind him know leads are safe when Rodriguez is on the mound, as he has allowed only one hit and one walk in 10 1/3 innings while striking out 10 of the 33 batters he has faced this season.

“Playing behind him is awesome,” Moran said. “He pounds the zone, gets a lot of late swings. Seems like he’s always calm out there, no matter what the situation is. He’s very effective. It’s a lot of fun to give him the ball with the lead.”