Pirates sign veteran LHP Derek Holland to minor league contract
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed four players to minor league contracts that include invites to spring training, most notably veteran left-handed pitcher Derek Holland.
Holland, 33, has pitched for four teams over 11 seasons in the majors, most recently splitting last season primarily as a reliever for the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs.
Holland twice posted pirate-themed memes and photos to his verified Twitter account.
#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/cXGFE98jDP
— Derek Holland (@Dutch_Oven45) January 31, 2020
Holland is 78-78 with a 4.54 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 1,375 2/3 innings in 295 career games. He has made 222 MLB starts, but only eight of 51 appearances last season were as a starter.
Holland had a 6.08 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 84 1/3 innings last season. Despite the poor numbers, Holland was good against left-handed hitters: .192 batting average against with just three extra-base hits allowed in 114 plate appearances. For his career, lefties have a .234 average and .622 OPS against Holland.
According to baseball-reference.com, Holland was statistically an above-average pitcher two seasons ago (106 ERA+, on a scale in which 100 is average) for San Francisco, posting a 3.57 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
— Derek Holland (@Dutch_Oven45) January 31, 2020
His most sustained success came early in his career for the Texas Rangers, going 40-21 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 100 games (97 starts) between 2011-14.
Holland perhaps is best known for pitching 8 1/3 scoreless, two-hit innings during Game 4 of the 2011 World Series while pitching for Texas.
#OTD 2011: Indians alum Derek Holland ('07) turned in the greatest #WorldSeries start in @Rangers history. #GoSpo x @Dutch_Oven45
?️ @Rangers | #TogetherWe pic.twitter.com/2fV7GLIHJK
— Spokane Indians (@spokaneindians) October 23, 2019
Holland possibly was signed with the idea he could provide rotation depth, it is more likely he was added to bolster the bullpen. Barring trades or injury, Keone Kela, Kyle Crick and Richard Rodriguez are assured to be on the opening-day roster. The same could probably be said for Nick Burdi and Edgar Santana. Michael Feliz also has an inside track to a roster spot.
Sam Howard, though, is the only lefty reliever on the 40-man roster (unless Steven Brault is moved out of the rotation).
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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