Kela Looking to Put Rough 2019 Behind Him; Step Up in Closers Role
The 2019 season was one that Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Keone Kela wants to put behind him for several reasons. It started with Kela spending time on the injured list with a right elbow injury, and ended with a number of fines and suspensions from tensions both inside and outside of the clubhouse that resulted in Kela missing nearly three months of the season.
However, 2020 is a new year and a new opportunity for Kela to get back on the right track. With the departure of Felipe Vazquez, Kela will be stepping up as the full-time closer for the Pirates. It is not new territory for the 26-year old and it will allow him to be the leader of the bullpen and the number one guy for new manager Derek Shelton.
The last time Kela served as a closer was during the 2018 season for the Texas Rangers just before he was traded to the Pirates. He saved 24 games in 25 attempts that season while appearing in 38 games and pitching to a 3.44 ERA in 36.2 innings of work. He then came to Pittsburgh and blew his only save opportunity but pitched to a 2.93 ERA in 15.1 innings of work.
When Kela was healthy last season, he was one of the top relievers in the Pirates bullpen. He appeared in 29 games for the Bucs and pitched to a 2.12 ERA in 29.2 innings of work while striking out 33 batters. Opponents hit just .178 against Kela marking the second lowest opponent batting average of his career behind his 2016 season with the Rangers.
Kela has strikeout stuff and has used it effectively throughout his career. He has never had a strikeout per nine ratio under 10 in his professional career and continued that trend last season striking out 10.01 batters per nine innings. While it was the lowest K/9 of Kela's career, it was also over less of a body of work so look for Kela to use his one-two punch consistently throughout the ninth inning.
Kela relies mostly on his four-seamer and curveball, but occassionally throws in a change-up. He starts with the high fastball early in the count throwing it 53.8% of the time. It is an above average pitch topping out at around 95 mph and gets the batter swinging out in front. He follows that up with a devastating down and in curveball that helped him pick up 25 of his 33 strikeouts.
Taking a look back at his 2018 season, when he was the closer for the Rangers, Kela struck out 66 batters in 52 innings of work and opponents hit just .199 against the right-hander. He allowed just 10 extra base hits all season combined between the Rangers and Pirates allowing him to keep opponents out of scoring position. If he is going to have success as the Pirates closer, he is going to have to get back to his dominant style and leave his off the field issues in the past.
Overall, im excited to see what Kela can do when given the closers role full-time in a Pirates uniform. He enters 2020 having thrown ten straight scoreless innings dating back to August 23rd against the Cincinnati Reds. He has momentum on his side and I think will be a solid closer for the Bucs this season.
Prediction: 3.12 ERA (26 saves 30 Chances)
I feel that Kela will fit right into the closers role for the Pirates and continue the strong production that Vazquez provided in each of the last two seasons. He might hit a bump in the road mid-season, but overall I feel Kela will be a good closer now and for years to come.
As of now, the season is expected to begin somewhere around May 25th. Until then, we will continue to look at the men who make up this year's team and their contributions in 2020.
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