Bullpen Arms Shining Late in Spring Training
Last season, the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen was in disarray for a majority of the season. It started out with the ineffectiveness of Kyle Crick in Spring Training and an injury that would keep Nick Burdi out throughout the year. Due to a lack of pitching depth on the team, the Pirates were scurrying to try to fill holes with guys who clearly weren't ready. However, General Manager Ben Cherrington has made it his personal mission to fill the organization with pitching depth so the Pirates don't run into the same trouble they did in 2020. So far, Cherington has been rewarded for his moves, as the bullpen is proving to be one of the strongest groups on the field.
Entering play on Wednesday, the Pirates relievers rank fourth in the MLB with a 3.65 ERA. And, it hasn't just been the guys that Cherington brought in having success, but some of the returners who found themselves on the IL a year ago are finding their groove in March. With the possibility of the Pirates bringing 14 pitchers with them to Chicago on April 1st, it is a cut-throat competition for spots in the 2021 Pirates bullpen. With so much uncertainty surrounding the Major League roster, anyone could pitch their way onto the roster and with just 46 active players remaining in camp, the Pirates have a week to send 20 more players to Minor League camp. Today, we look at who has impressed so far both from the newcomers and the returners, and see who could be featured in the 2021 Bullpen.
Returning Success
Last season, the Pirates pitching staff underwent some serious adjustments when key players were on the IL. Some of the notable names that missed time include Kyle Crick, Nick Burdi, and Keone Kela, who were all supposed to be major parts of the back-end of the Pirates bullpen. So far this spring, some of those guys who were injured are back and performing well. The big surprise so far this spring has been the re-emergence of Kyle Crick so far this spring. In seven appearances, Crick has posted a 1.35 ERA in his first 6.2 innings of work. One of the big concerns for Crick was the fact that his fastball velocity has slipped significantly. However, he has seemed to get some of that velocity back this spring.
In his most recent outing against the Minnesota Twins, Crick's fastball was averaging around 93 - 94 mph. Last season, he struggled to get up to the 90s at all, so it has been nice to see Crick be able to gain back some of that velocity and some of his effectiveness. Another returning player who has had a strong spring so far is Geoff Hartlieb. Hartlieb has completely turned things around since the new regime took over, using analytics to take his game to the next level. All that hard work is paying off in spring games as he has not allowed an earned run through his six appearances so far. He is featuring a 1.17 WHIP in six innings of work while walking four and striking out seven so far.
While his walk numbers are a little concerning, he is missing bats more often than not and is really developing into that dominant reliever he was in the Minor Leagues. Hartlieb has produced a career-low opponent batting average of .150 this spring while striking out almost 30% of the batters he has faced so far. Spring Training usually doesn't mean much in terms of regular-season results, but for Hartlieb, it is nice to see him get out to a good start. It is nice to see so many of the returning players begin to turn things around. It not only helps the club now but may give the Pirates some more tradeable options at the 2021 Trade Deadline. With the Pirates featuring a younger team this year, a strong bullpen is going to be key and the returners are the ones who will be leading the way.
New Additions Making a Strong Case
General Manager Ben Cherington brought in a lot of pitching depth this off-season, and a lot of those pitchers are having strong showings this spring. The most notable of the relief group is Pittsburgh native David Bednar. Bednar has been almost untouchable this spring, allowing just two hits in 7.2 innings of work and no earned runs. He has struck out 14 batters so far this spring and has walked just one while drawing comparisons to famous Pirates closer Matt Capps. Bednar's secret to success has been his short, quick, delivery and his ability to pound the strike zone. With a fastball that can reach up to the upper 90s, he is making a strong case to be on the mound at PNC Park.
Another new addition that is making an impact on the mound is right-handed pitcher Wil Crowe. Crowe was acquired in the Josh Bell deal and has a chance to make an impact both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen. Most of his work this spring has come as a long reliever, and he has gone 1-0 with a 0.93 ERA over 9.2 innings of work. The most impressive thing about Crowe so far this spring is his ability to miss bats. Opponents are hitting just .206 against him and he has walked just three batters in his 9.2 innings of work. It is unclear whether Crowe will be used in the bullpen or the starting rotation, but wherever he is used he is looking to build on the momentum that he has already created this Spring.
Even future contributors to the Pirates bullpen are looking good, specifically, a right-hander named Roansy Contreras. Contreras has already been optioned to Minor League camp and is set to start the year in Double-A Altoona. He has made just two appearances in Big League camp so far but has struck out five batters in his two innings of work. His most impressive performance to date came yesterday against the Minnesota Twins. He picked up his first save of the spring and struck out all three batters he faced to close out the game in the ninth inning. Contreras has been a starter throughout his Minor League career, and will probably continue on that path, but he has shown he can be nasty on the mound. The Pirates need their bullpen to be good this season if they want any chance at success, and so far the group is not letting their team down.
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