Roster Taking Shape After Most Recent Round of Cuts
As the Pittsburgh Pirates Spring Training schedule begins to wind down, roster cuts need to be made as the Pirates determine their Opening Day roster. On Monday, the Pirates made a round of cuts that offer some more clarity into what that Opening Day roster in Chicago may look like. While there were some surprise moves by the Pirates, these moves also help open a path for younger players to make their impact on the team right now. However, other moves might have opened the door for veterans to make the team as the Pirates look for someone to be leaders in the clubhouse. However, just because a player was cut from Spring Training doesn't mean that they won't have an impact on the Pirates sometime during the 2021 season.
On Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates optioned RHP Geoff Hartlieb to Minor League camp, and reassigned OF Brian Goodwin, IF/OF Wilmer Difo, RHP Steven Wright, LHP Chasen Shreve, and RHP Chase De Jong to Minor League camp. The two big surprises out of the bunch for me were Hartlieb and Goodwin, as these were both players I had on my Opening Day roster. However, as long as Goodwin doesn't have an opt-out in his contract, these are both guys the Pirates could see sometime during the 2021 season. When looking at the roster on April 1st, however, these moves answer some questions about the Pirate's 26-man roster. We look at both the pitchers and position players to see how the roster shapes up and who benefits from the most recent moves.
The Bullpen Outlook
The biggest part of the pitching staff that becomes clear with the most recent roster cuts is the Bullpen. With Geoff Hartlieb out of the mix, both the back-end and the middle of the Pirates bullpen are starting to take shape. The two big winners from this move were LHP Sam Howard and RHP David Bednar. Hartlieb was thought to have been a big factor in the back-end of the Pirates bullpen and, with only nine relief pitchers making the roster, that left both Bednar and Howard on the outside looking in. However, with that spot now open, it increases both pitcher's chances of making the Opening Day bullpen as Spring Training comes down to its final two days.
Bednar has had an absolutely phenomenal spring thus far and has essentially pitched his way onto the Pirates Opening Day roster. MLB Insider John Heyman confirmed Bednar was going to make the Pirates yesterday when he tweeted confirming that Bednar had made the team. After a couple of rough seasons with the San Diego Padres, where he posted a 6.75 ERA over 20.1 innings of work. He has a high-powered fastball and has been compared to former Pirates closer Matt Capps on several occasions throughout the spring, even by the closer himself on one of the telecasts. His spring has been impressive so far as he has made 10 appearances, spanning 8.2 innings of work, and has yet to be scored upon while striking out 18 batters.
As for Sam Howard, Hartlieb's departure may also open up a spot for him in the middle of the Pirates bullpen. With veteran lefty Chasen Shreve being reassigned to Minor League camp, Howard seems to be the lefty the Pirates will go within 2021. Howard has had himself a good spring to this point, appearing in eight games for the Pirates and pitching to a 2.45 ERA over 7.1 innings of work with a 0.82 WHIP. He has struck out eight batters in those 7.1 innings of work this spring while walking three batters. Although his numbers aren't nearly as impressive as Bednar's are, Howard, impressed the Pirates with his 2020 performance. He went 2-3 for the Pirates in 2020 and pitched to a career-best 3.86 ERA in a career-high 21 innings of work. He is looking to take his game to the next level in 2021 and help lead a Pirates bullpen that looks to be a strength for the team in 2021.
The Bench Clears Up
The other big position group that gets things cleared up from these roster cuts is the bench. When you looked at the Pirates bench, considering the Pirates are taking 14 pitchers, it was shaping up as back-up catcher, Erik Gonzalez, Phillip Evans, and then the battle for the fourth outfielder spot. that battle was between two newly acquired players in Dustin Fowler and Brian Goodwin. Goodwin had the experience over Fowler, but at 26-years-old Fowler is probably more a part of the Pirate's long-term plans for the team. Still, as Spring Training came down to its final days, the battle raged on between the two outfielders. However, with Goodwin being optioned to Minor League camp, that almost ensures that Fowler will grab a spot on the bench.
Fowler is just 26-years-old and hasn't really been given a shot yet at the Big League level. His one full season came in 2018 with the Oakland Athletics, where he played in 69 games and hit .224 with six home runs and 23 RBI. He is a guy who has a lot of power and has shown that in the Minor Leagues, but has yet to manifest any of that power at the Big League level. The biggest example of what Fowler can do came in Triple-A during the 2019 season. That year, he hit an impressive .277 with 25 home runs and 89 RBI over 130 games played. Fowler has hit double-digit home runs in three of his last four Minor League seasons, and he is hoping that some of that power comes with him to PNC Park.
The big thing for Fowler will be his ability to hit for power at the Major League level. Power is one thing that the Pirates lack in 2021, and Fowler has a chance to be the guy who brings the power back to the Pirates lineup. Fowler undoubtedly has the speed to play center field and has shown off that speed throughout the season. However, when it comes to offensive prowess, he has left little to be desired. He has hit just .196 this spring but has driven in three RBI in 31 at-bats with the Pirates. With Fowler winning a spot on the bench, and Michael Perez being named the back-up catcher, the bench looks about filled up as the Pirates get ready to head to Chicago on April 1st.
Fowler had a terrible spring. Todd Frazier was let go because he lacked versatility (per Shelton). With a 4 man bench (really only 3 plus a catcher), versatility is vital. Fowler only plays the OF. Difo had a good spring and plays both infield and outfield including SS and CF but he was cut. Evans plays 1B, 2B, 3B, LF, RF). Gonzalez plays infield and outfield. Fowler did nothing to earn a spot and doesn't play infield. Difo could do what Fowler does and much more. And if versatility didn't matter, Frazier could play 1B and 3B, provide power and veteran leadership while Evans or Gonzalez could fill in as needed in the OF with Reynolds sliding over to CF if needed. Keeping Fowler over Frazier or Difo is curious.
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