Kevin Gorman: Keone Kela wants to become something bigger than Pirates closer

BRADENTON, Fla.

The least surprising storyline of spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates is Keone Kela enters it with every intention of claiming the closer’s role.

Kela is the front-runner to go from setup man to stopper to replace jailed two-time All-Star Felipe Vazquez, given the effectiveness Kela showed in high-leverage situations with the Texas Rangers two years ago.

The most surprising storyline, however, is Kela is just as adamant about becoming something bigger for the Pirates this season.

“Yes, that’s what I want,” Kela said of being the closer, “and even more so than that is just to be able to have an opportunity to lead, to be everything these guys around me need.”

It was something the Pirates never got from Vazquez, who made no bones about not being interested in a leadership role. But Kela was once demoted to Triple-A by the Rangers for his attitude, and was at the center of clubhouse chaos last season when he was suspended two games for a reported altercation with Hector Morales, the team’s cultural readiness and peak performance coach.

Kela also drew a 10-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing brawl with the Cincinnati Reds, more so for admitting he was sending a message when he threw a pitch over the head of Derek Dietrich. The most astounding part of the punishment is Kela’s was harsher than that of Reds pitcher Amir Garrett, who charged the Pirates dugout. That also could be seen as a sign Kela was willing to take one for the team.

Kela has been abrasive, a self-described bull in a china shop, if not downright disrespectful at times in his Pirates tenure. That he now readily admits as much — and, more importantly, wants to change — shows a sign of self-awareness and possible personal growth for the 26-year-old right-hander.

“I know I can bring a moxie and a demeanor that can permeate and if I learn how to use it, I know it can be beneficial,” Kela said Monday at his locker inside the clubhouse at Pirate City. “I can build, and I can be destructive. That’s just being honest. I know what task is at hand. I know what I’ve got to do.”

Kela credits his wife, Capri, with building him up and helping him find his way, and the birth of his daughter, Khari, in November for forcing him to change his tone.

It also made Kela realize it’s time to change his tune.

“This is my sixth full season,” Kela said. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I’ve had a lot of immature moments. But I would definitely say having my daughter this offseason mellowed me out more than ever.”

When the Pirates clicked the refresh button, it gave Kela a chance to start anew. He has met multiple times with new manager Derek Shelton and new pitching coach Oscar Marin, who has served as a mentor to Kela since his Rangers days.

Kela remains grateful for how Marin took him under his wing, even inviting him to live with his family during spring training years ago. Kela says how nice it is to work with someone he can be honest with, who can serve as a sounding board and the voice of reason.

“It means a lot to me,” Kela said. “I’m still a young man but he knew me when I was a little boy. He’s real special to me because he knows things about me that a lot of people here don’t know. He literally saw my growth from an immature kid off the streets – I didn’t know a lick – and he’s helped mentor me. I can’t even describe what that means to me. … It’s nice to have somebody that I can trust.”

The Pirates would love to put their trust in Kela, who saved 24 games for the Rangers in 2018 before being traded at the deadline. The timing couldn’t be better for Kela to establish himself as a closer and a model citizen, as he enters the final year of a contract that pays him $3.725 million this season.

Perhaps he’s playing nice until he is traded or rewarded with a contract extension, whichever comes first. Maybe he realizes his image requires a makeover. Whatever the case, Kela sounded like someone who knows this might be his best chance.

But Kela makes it clear he hasn’t lost his edge, or the willingness to walk along it. He sees opportunity not only for himself but for teammates who haven’t had a shot to shine, as well as a coaching staff intent on maximizing their potential. Kela knows the Pirates are projected to lose 102 games by USA Today and fans bracing for a rebuild that could take some time. That doesn’t faze Kela. He sees a pitching staff with untapped talent, one he believes has a puncher’s chance.

“Guys just want to go out and pitch and (expletive) win. I think that’s what’s special,” Kela said. “On paper, it is what it is. But I look past that because we all have a dog mentality. The guys beside me, they’re ready to fight. They know we have a lot of people to prove wrong and we really don’t have (anything) to lose. … If we go out there and do what I know we can do to the best of our abilities, I think we can have a season better than what everyone is saying we will.”

Whether the Pirates are willing to follow Kela remains to be seen, as he has a lot to prove in a leadership capacity. But if he’s going to lead them to victory, there’s a good chance he also will be the one putting the finishing touches on it.

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