Pitching newcomers create competition for roles, roster spots in Pirates' bullpen

For as much as Derek Shelton detests any discussion midway through spring training of who will be the closer, it’s because that decision is on the backburner for the Pittsburgh Pirates manager.

“When you tell me who’s in our bullpen I’ll have that answer for you because I have no idea,” Shelton said. “Right now, we’re not even thinking about the ninth; we’re thinking about how we’re going to fill out the other spots. Not worrying about (a closer) right now.”

The Pirates have to first decide whether to keep 13 or 14 pitchers on the 26-man Opening Day roster, which will determine whether they have eight or nine arms in their bullpen. Shelton said there are four or five candidates to pitch in high-leverage roles, including the closer.

They added a dozen potential relief pitchers in the offseason, claiming Sean Poppen off waivers, selecting Jose Soriano, Luis Oviedo and Shea Spitzbarth in the Rule 5 Draft, trading for Wil Crowe, David Bednar and Miguel Yajure and signing Chase De Jong and Chasen Shreve.

Those additions have created competition for bullpen spots with returning relievers Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz, Geoff Hartlieb, Clay Holmes, Sam Howard, Richard Rodriguez and Chris Stratton.

“There’s a ton of it – but it’s a good thing, it really is,” Hartlieb said. “It might be cliché to say that, but it really does bring out the best in you. There’s a ton of guys who will get opportunities this year. That’s out of all of our control. All we can do is go out and put together as many good outings as we can and make that decision for them as hard as possible.”

Rodriguez saved four games last season as the emergency closer when Keone Kela and Kyle Crick were sidelined. Although Shelton hasn’t committed to Rodriguez as the closer again – the manager practically ruled him out at the start of spring training – a high-leverage role is likely.

“Right now my focus is just making sure that I’m ready, healthy and feeling great in any situation that Shelty needs me in,” Rodriguez said through team interpreter Mike Gonzalez. “Whatever inning they need me at, I’ll be ready.”

Where one potential closer could be lost – Blake Cederlind is out with a UCL injury in his right elbow – another has emerged from the shadows. Bednar, acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Joe Musgrove trade, has been dominant in Grapefruit League play.

Bednar has 11 strikeouts and one walk against the 22 batters he’s faced in throwing five hitless innings in six scoreless appearances. The Mars native has impressed Shelton with his size (6-foot-1, 245 pounds) and his ability to spin and locate a fastball that touched 97 mph against the Minnesota Twins.

“He’s throwing the ball really well,” Shelton said. “He has been really impressive.”

Bednar is hardly alone. Stratton has yet to allow a hit against 10 batters, Holmes has five scoreless appearances and Hartlieb is riding a scoreless streak of 4 1/3 innings. Hartlieb embraces the potential of filling the fireman role, relishing the opportunity to pitch in pressure situations.

“I don’t care what it looks like, man,” Hartlieb said. “I like coming in with guys on base. I have for a couple years now. Started doing it in Double-A a little bit. I really do enjoy it. I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s a good challenge, and there’s nothing better than picking up your teammates when things struggle. I don’t care what my role is, I want to be on the team, but I would love to keep doing that for us.”

Poppen gave up three runs in his first appearance but has thrown five scoreless innings since. The Pirates will be interested to see if Edgar Santana, who had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and was suspended last season for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, can bounce back after giving up six runs on five hits in one third of an inning Monday against the Baltimore Orioles.

Once the Pirates trim their roster – and relievers Nick Mears and Jandel Gustave were among the six pitchers cut on Tuesday – they can start to define roles. Last week, general manager Ben Cherington bolstered the bullpen by adding right-hander Duane Underwood Jr. in a trade.

“We like his stuff and how it might play off in the bullpen,” Cherington said, noting the hard-throwing Underwood has used a two- and four-seam fastball, sinker and slider. “We see good potential with both of those pitches, but he does have enough other weapons that potentially you could get through a lineup once or be used in sort of multi-inning role.”

The Pirates also have to weigh how to keep starters like Crowe, De Jong, Cody Ponce and Yajure stretched out, whether it’s sending them to their alternate training site to begin the season or use them in long relief roles like they did with JT Brubaker last season. And they have to decide what to do with Oviedo and Soriano, who’s on the 60-day injured list, as Rule 5 status dictates that both must remain on the roster or be returned to their former team.

After a season in which they lost almost twice as many one-run games (15) as they won (eight), the Pirates are looking for reliability from their relievers. Creating competition for the bullpen spots has upped the ante for everyone.

“What stood out to me the most is we have a really good, young group of guys that have strong arms and are hungry to not only pitch, but to compete,” Feliz said through interpreter Gonzalez. “They have a high level of competitiveness, they’re all out there to make the team, help the team get better. The future does look bright. I’m really excited.”