Break-out Game Has Stallings Thriving As Clean-up Hitter
When you think of a good clean-up hitter, you usually think of a big burly first baseman or corner outfielder whose primary weapon is his home run power. For the Pirates, a team with very little overall power, the guy in the clean-up role was first baseman, Colin Moran. Moran was the lone Pirate to hit double-digit home runs last season, and after the Josh Bell trade was the team's only real power threat. He was doing well, hitting .297 with four home runs and 19 RBI through his first 111 at-bats. However, Moran suffered a pulled groin muscle on May 8th against the Chicago Cubs and was forced to land on the 10-day injured list. This left the Pirates with a big hole in the clean-up spot, but no clear candidate to fill it.
However, one guy has stepped up in the early part of Moran's absence and provided a spark to the lineup. You usually don't think of a 31-year old catcher with 12 career home runs as a clean-up hitter, but that is exactly who is taking the lead as the clean-up man. Jacob Stallings has been shattering expectations since he earned the starting catcher's job last season, and is once again out to a strong start. In 98 at-bats, Stallings is hitting .255 with three home runs and 15 RBI. He had a breakout game last night, going 3-5 with four RBI, including his second career walk-off home run. Today, we look at Stallings as the clean-up hitter, and how he has taken over for an injured Colin Moran.
Moving On Up
Prior to this current stretch of games, Jacob Stallings has made a home for himself at the bottom of the Pirates lineup. He normally finds himself in the seventh spot in the order, where in 11 games, he is hitting .296 with no home runs and three RBI this season. However, the fourth spot in the order is a new experience for the 31-year-old catcher, but in an early sample, he has performed well in the new role. He has four games of experience being the Pirates clean-up hitter and hit .278 with a home run and five RBI. Four of those RBI came in last night's game and as he continues to improve his offensive game, he should get more and more opportunities in the clean-up spot.
Over his last seven games, Stallings's production numbers have gone way up as he gets more opportunities to drive in runs. He is hitting .261 with two home runs and six RBI in his last seven games and has driven in eight runs over his last 15 games. After starting the season as a .188 hitter, it is a big jump for the catcher as he, along with Bryan Reynolds, assumes the top run producer's role in the Pirates lineup. He isn't your typical run producer type, in the fact that he isn't known for his power numbers or even his ability to drive the ball to the gap. However, one thing he does do is put the bat in the ball consistently giving him a chance to get on base more often than not.
The key to Stallings's success is his ability to make consistent contact with the baseball. When the ball is in the zone, Stallings makes contact 83% of the time and when the ball is out of the zone, he makes contact 59.2% of the time. He has always made contact consistently, but the difference this year is that he is making more consistent hard contact than he has in years past. His hard-hit percentage is at a career-high 39.5% in 2021. With more hard contact being made, the consistency of getting the bat on the ball is turning into more extra-base hits and run-producing opportunities. The other factor is that Stallings doesn't chase pitches outside the zone. He has a career-low chase percentage of 19.7% as he swings at pitches he wants rather than chasing after pitcher's pitches.
Stallings Future Lineup Spot
When Colin Moran comes back from injury, he will retake the clean-up role from Jacob Stallings. However, Stallings should be rewarded for his efforts by being moved up further into the lineup. While he has thrived in the seventh spot of the batting order, it is more likely that we see him jump to the fifth or sixth spot of the order. With Gregory Polanco's struggles, Stallings could be the one to provide some protection for Moran in the clean-up spot. With Stallings producing, that gives the Pirates at least five reliable bats in the lineup from Frazier in the clean-up spot to Stallings at number five.
The other thing to consider with Stallings is how well he has done against left-handed pitching this season. In 2020, Stallings was kind of the best Pirates hitters against left-handed pitching. He hit .324 with a home run and min RBI in 34 at-bats against southpaws that season. However, this year his average isn't as good as it was last year, at .190, but his production is already better. He has hit two home runs and drove in six RBI in 21 at-bats. He has been reaching base at a .321 clip against left-handers and capped off his success with last night's walk-off winner. Stallings has raised his average more than 50 points during this current stretch, and his success against left-handers is a big reason why.
Jacob Stallings has provided some stability at catcher over the last two years that the Pirates didn't know they had. After Francisco Cervelli left, there was worry that the catcher's position would go in disarray. However, Stallings has brought his strong defense and his surprising bat to the lineup and helped eliminate that question. Not only did he get nominated for the first Gold Glove award of his career, but he also hit a healthy .248 last season. With the defensive ability that Stallings has, it more than makes up for his middle-of-the-road batting average. If there is one piece the Pirates should protect this deadline, it is Stallings as he leads this young team into the future.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (17-22) look for their first series win since April when they face the San Francisco Giants (23-16) today at 1:05 pm. Mitch Keller (2-4, 7.18) looks to bounce back with a quality start as he faces Alex Wood (4-0, 1.80) for the Giants. You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet or listen on 93.7 The Fan.
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