MLB rule changes give new Pirates manager Derek Shelton flexibility with pitching staff, DH

Now that MLB has decided to play a 60-game season featuring regional matchups, new Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton is switching his strategy from a marathon to a sprint and preparing for rule changes.

Shelton believes that benefits him, given the Pirates will be playing opponents from the NL Central and AL Central, where he spent the past two seasons as bench coach for the Minnesota Twins. He compared a season of two-plus months to a playoff stretch, with which he has some familiarity after a 101-win season with the Twins.

“Some guys who have been in playoff hunts might have a better feel for it because it’s a sprint now,” Shelton said Wednesday on a Zoom call with reporters. “Managers who have managed in playoff situations probably have a little bit more advantage with how to use their bullpens and things like that. But I think it’s an unknown for all of us because there are going to be rule changes along with it.”

Not only do pitchers have to face a minimum of three batters, but, in an attempt to speed up extra-inning games, a runner will start at second base. Then again, Shelton doesn’t have to worry about adapting to National League strategy, such as dealing with the double switch.

What the Pirates must overcome is a pitching staff that will be missing starters Jameson Taillon (Tommy John) and Chris Archer (thoracic outlet syndrome), who are out while recovering from surgery. Shelton said he has a “good idea” of four starters — right-handers Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams and Mitch Keller and lefty Derek Holland look like locks — who are ready to throw four or five innings, but is open to using different options for the final spot in the rotation.

“We could be aggressive with that fifth spot,” Shelton said. “We could be traditional with that fifth spot. We could have an opener. We could do piggyback (starters). I think that’s something we’re still kind of talking through in terms of how we’re going to do it. The big thing, before we talk about who any of those people are going to be is getting them into camp and making sure that they’re all healthy.”

The good news for the Pirates is the stoppage of spring training and downtime during the coronavirus pandemic allowed Steven Brault (shoulder) and Clay Holmes (foot) a chance to heal from injuries and gave Chad Kuhl, who missed last season with Tommy John surgery, more time to get ready for the season. Those three, along with reliever Chris Stratton, are candidates to serve as the fifth starter or opener.

Shelton is hopeful that by using a designated hitter, it will protect his pitching staff from potential injuries that could wipe them out for long stretches of the shortened season.

“I think, most importantly on this, is it doesn’t put our pitchers in a position, coming back in a quick spring training situation, where they have to worry about being multi-faceted,” Shelton said. “They can worry about doing what they’re paid to do, and that’s pitch. And, hopefully, by having this, we’re eliminating injuries of a pitcher maybe being on the bases or something happening on a swing, because of the fact that we’ve had a shortened spring training.”

Where Shelton can get creative is with using the designated hitter, although he repeatedly has said he doesn’t plan to use one player in that role. During a weekly appearance on 93.7 FM, Shelton said DH candidates could range from All-Star first baseman Josh Bell, third baseman Colin Moran and right fielder Gregory Polanco to utility players such as Jose Osuna, JT Riddle and Philip Evans.

“Obviously, I’m a lot more familiar with games with the designated hitter than without, just having spent all that time in the American League, and I think what it does provide is having another bat in the lineup that we’ll rotate,” Shelton said. “We’ll be able to, instead of maybe rest someone that we were going to play in our regular lineup that day, they’ll have the ability to get four or five (at bats), and I think that’s extremely important for us.

“I think that’s a really good point, that because of the fact that we’re not going to have one person on it, that we can make that fluid and we can decide on the matchup that day of what we want to do and who we want to use.”