Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates back to .500, thanks to clicking 'pen, Reynolds' resurgence
That the Pittsburgh Pirates are at .500 only 22 games into the season wouldn’t be cause for celebration in most years — and shouldn’t be — but is bringing optimism to a club projected to lose 100-plus games.
The Pirates have played all but one full game without Ke’Bryan Hayes, the rookie third baseman who became their best player the moment he made his major league debut last September.
His absence helps explain why the Pirates lost six consecutive games, including the one in which he injured his left wrist on April 3. What requires greater understanding is how the team has rallied without Hayes, through the performance of backups who became starters and slumping hitters who have started to find their swing again.
That isn’t lost on manager Derek Shelton as the Pirates return to PNC Park on Tuesday for a five-game homestand with a pair of built-in breaks: They are off Monday, play two games against the Kansas City Royals, off Thursday, then play three against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I think it’s really important,” Shelton said, “and it shows that guys, when given opportunities — and we talked a ton about opportunities in spring training — have stepped up.”
Shelton noted the play of Phillip Evans and Erik Gonzalez in particular, but also added that bottom-of-the-order bats Kevin Newman and Jacob Stallings are swinging the bat more aggressively again.
“So guys seizing opportunities with a key player out — no pun intended — I think it’s extremely important.”
1. Clicking ‘pen: First and foremost, Shelton credited the bullpen for being the strength for their 10-day, nine-game road trip. The Pirates went 6-3, winning two out of three each series against Milwaukee, Detroit and Minnesota.
“No. 1, our bullpen has been really good,” Shelton said. “I do not want to overshadow that at all. I think that’s extremely important.”
The Pirates turned to their ‘pen for 29 2/3 innings in those nine games, and their relievers allowed five runs on 17 hits and seven walks with 34 strikeouts. Of those runs, three came on two home runs off Chris Stratton, one of their most reliable relievers. The other two came on an RBI single off Clay Holmes and a sacrifice fly off Duane Underwood Jr.
It’s no surprise, as the bullpen was expected to be a strength after a great spring training. But the Pirates entered the season without a closer — they are using Richard Rodriguez, David Bednar and lefty Sam Howard, depending on matchups — and are benefiting from believing in Underwood, who was acquired in a trade after being designated for assignment by the Chicago Cubs.
“We just do a good job of feeding off each other,” Underwood said. “Everybody down in that bullpen has got great stuff, great attitude, and it’s just next man up. Everybody has done a great job of coming in, throwing strikes, being competitive and letting their stuff play in the zone. We’ve just got to continue to do a great job of that going forward, and I think we’ll continue to have success.”
Bryan Reynolds just hit a ball to the moon. pic.twitter.com/A0u93ZcOmi
— Pirates (@Pirates) April 18, 2021
2. Wrap it up: As stunning as it was to watch the reversal of Bryan Reynolds last season, going from batting .314 as a rookie to .189 in shortened season, he appears to have hit the reset button.
The switch-hitting Reynolds is thriving in the third spot in the order again, slashing .304/.402/.456 with six doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs, including two on a pair of doubles in the 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
“He brings the ability to drive the ball from both sides of the plate, and I think it’s one of those things we’ve talked about last year at length; Bryan Reynolds has hit at every level of his career, and I think we’re seeing what Bryan Reynolds can provide to a lineup,” Shelton said. “It makes it challenging for opposing managers, because they have to make a decision of where they’re going to go to, how they’re going to make their adjustments, and their bullpen usage.”
Reynolds batted .357 (10 for 37) on the road trip, with four doubles, a homer and seven RBIs. As important, he drew twice as many walks (eight) as he had strikeouts (four).
No wonder cleanup hitter Colin Moran has found it a pleasure to bat behind Reynolds, believing that he makes pitchers work with every at-bat because of his patience at the plate.
“He has a great eyes,” Moran said. “More times than not, he gets a good pitch to hit. If not, he works a really good at-bat, makes them work.”
3. Shift in center: Not only has Reynolds been strong at the plate, but his ability on defense allowed the Pirates to cut center fielders Anthony Alford and Dustin Fowler a day apart.
That decision doesn’t appear so difficult when you look at their statistics — a combined .138 batting average and 36 strikeouts — but consider that general manager Ben Cherington had preached patience for the players only days earlier.
Reynolds played center at Vanderbilt and in the minors, and wasn’t shy about expressing his preference for the position over left field, where the Pirates view him as a potential Gold Glove winner.
That only made the move easier.
The Pirates are showing that they aren’t willing to suffer with players who aren’t productive. Last season, they signed Jarrod Dyson to a $2 million deal and started him 15 of the first 25 games. He batted .157, and was traded to the Chicago White Sox.
That sends a message to the team.
4. Making moves: That puts pressure on the two feel-good stories who benefited most from Alford and Fowler being designated for assignment.
When Reynolds switched to center, Phillip Evans moved into a starting role in left field. Evans got off to a great start, and was hitting .326 on April 16. Since then, he’s batted .129 (4 for 31) with just one RBI. That included an 0-for-11 stretch prior to Sunday’s game, when he went 2 for 4 and scored a run.
A good glove who can play first, second or third base, Evans is still adjusting to playing the outfield. He made a run-saving play by reaching over the fence to rob Akil Baddoo of a home run (but the ball popped out of his glove for a double) at Detroit on Thursday, but lost a Luis Arraez routine fly ball in the sun Saturday at Minnesota because he wasn’t wearing sunglasses.
The Pirates promoted the personable Todd Frazier from the taxi squad, adding a 35-year-old, two-time All-Star with some pop in his bat to the lineup upon learning Hayes reaggravated his wrist injury and would be out longer than expected.
Starting three games as designated hitter and one at first base, Frazier went 0 for 14 with four strikeouts. It hasn’t all been negative. Frazier launched a 412-foot shot that JaCoby Jones chased down in the cavernous left-center at Comerica Park. Frazier also scored a pair of runs Saturday, when he reached on a Jorge Polanco throwing error and was hit by a Devin Smeltzer pitch.
But Cherington said Sunday on his radio show that he expects outfielder Ka’ai Tom, who was claimed off waivers last week, to join the team Tuesday. That will require a 26-man roster move, as will the eventual return of Hayes. The Pirates could balance the roster by keeping 13 position players and 13 pitchers, but have shown no signs they are willing to do so. Maybe this will force their hand.
5. Hot Coffee: Gregory Polanco still isn’t hitting his weight but the right fielder was all smiles after going 3 for 4 with a double and home run in the 6-2 win over the Twins on Sunday.
Polanco was batting below .100 until April 8, when a two-hit game caused his average to jump from .059 to .150. He didn’t reach the Mendoza Line until April 15, and is batting .213. In three games at Minnesota, however, Polanco hit .417 (5 for 12) and is hoping that he’s rediscovered the timing of his swing.
New post in Noti MLB Plus+: Los Piratas
¡Jonrón con aroma de café!#LosPiratas | Gregory Polanco pic.twitter.com/KbqctX5b3g
tweet https://t.co/5X1bhrra2S— Ismel Matienzo (@IsmelMatienzo) April 26, 2021
Polanco said in a postgame interview with Robby Incmikoski of AT&T SportsNet that he’s been watching videos from 2018 — when he hit .245 with 32 doubles, six triples, 23 homers and 81 RBIs in 130 games before injuring his shoulder — and making adjustments with hitting coaches Rick Eckstein and Christian Marrero.
“I just keep swinging and keep swinging and try to see the ball as best I can,” Polanco said. “That’s the biggest thing right now. I’m not trying to hesitate and put a good swing on the ball. I’m not trying to do too much with it. Keep swinging because I’ve been making more contact lately, and that’s what I’m trying to do right now.”
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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