Doubleheader Mixing Up Pirates Rotation Moving Forward
With the Pittsburgh Pirates on a six-game losing streak, they were looking for a new start as they were set to begin a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. However, Mother Nature made sure that wouldn't happen as rain ended up postponing the series opener a day. With all that has gone on recently, it is probably just what the Pirates needed as they try to hit the reset button and start a new. Normally, doubleheaders can really mess up a starting rotation, but in the Pirates case, Saturday's games may actually help the rotation. With injuries to two of the five states and pitchers from Triple-A succeeding in the Big Leagues, it is another chance for more players able to get opportunities at the Big League level.
The Sunday starter for the Pirates had always been TBA, with the Pirates currently re-evaluating whether or not Chad Kuhl is ready to return from his rehab stint. However, now the Monday start is also in question with the way the off days work out. Before Friday's rainout, it would have been Keller Friday, Brubaker Saturday, TBA Sunday, and Wil Crowe Monday. However, with the rainout on Friday, it gave everyone a chance to step back and may give Derek Shelton a chance to rework his rotation. Kuhl recently started a game on Tuesday in Triple-A Indianapolis and enters Sunday on the normal five-day rest. However, the Pirates Cody Ponce is also on five days rest and could be used on Sunday as well. Today, we look at the Pirates pitching match-ups, and how the rotation may look over the next couple of days.
Kuhl Back In The Mix
When Chad Kuhl was put on the Injured List on April 22nd, things weren't going so well. Through his first four starts, he was 0-1 with a 6.32 ERA in his first 15.2 innings of work and was particularly struggling in the first inning of games. It was his first full season coming back from Tommy John Surgery, and from a velocity standpoint, it looked like he had made a full recovery. His fastball is once again hitting in the mid-90s with his fastball, and had a pretty good strikeout rate, setting down 18.4% of the batters he faced. However, the area that he struggled was with his control, as he walked 16 batters in 14.2 innings of work. He has missed the last month with right shoulder discomfort, and after over a month of missed time, he began his rehab assignment.
He made his first rehab start on May 19th, 2021 on the road against the St. Paul Saints in a game that the Indianapolis Indians lost 3-2. However, it was a win for Kuhl as he looked better than he has since his Tommy John Surgery. Overall, Kuhl went 3.0 innings allowing just one hit while walking one and striking out six. However, the biggest success if you are a Pirates fan was the fact that Kuhl showed resiliency in the first inning. He struck out Daniel Descalso to start the game and followed that by allowing a single and a walk to put two on and one out. However, instead of folding, Kuhl responded with a force out and another strikeout to end the inning and strand the runners. His strikeout pitch was working well, and the ability to get out of the first inning was another big plus.
Heading into his second rehab start on May 25th, the focus would once again be on that first inning of play. Kuhl responded with a 1-2-3 inning and ended up retiring six of the first seven men he faced in the game. When all was said and done, Kuhl went 3.1 innings allowing one run on one hit while walking two and striking out four. The only run he gave up on the day was an RBI single by Ryan McBroom that drove in a leadoff walk to start that inning. In both outings, Kuhl showed much better control of his pitches than he had at the start of the season. In his first four Major League starts, Kuhl was throwing strikes at a 52.2% mark. However, in his two Minor League starts, he has a strike percentage of 61.2%. Kuhl would be on the normal five days rest upon his return and would make the most sense to start the series finale against Colorado at PNC Park.
Options For Monday
If the Pirates go with Chad Kuhl on Sunday, that will leave the team with a decision to make on Monday. There will have to be a move made to bring Kuhl back off the Injured List on Monday, and that would likely mean Crowe gets sent back to Triple-A. Tyler Anderson would only be on four days rest, so the Pirates would have to make a subsequent move for a starter on Monday. Right-hander Cody Ponce would be on six days rest, after getting the start on Tuesday against the Cubs, and Miguel Yajure, who made two starts already this season for Pittsburgh, would be on the typical five days rest. Both guys have come up and pitched well for the Pirates, but which one is more likely to start against the Kansas City Royals.
Yajure has made two starts for the Pirates this season and has looked great on the mound in each outing. He has gone 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA over 9.1 innings of work, striking out eight and walking three. However, it was his second start where he really showed what he was capable of, going five innings allowing just one hit while walking one and striking out four. Now at 23-years-old, Yajure already seems to have the concept of changing speeds and being a pitcher rather than a thrower. The other option for the Pirates is to go with Cody Ponce, who allowed four earned runs in five innings his last start. He pitched a lot better than his stat line looked, as the home run ball, and particularly Joc Pederson, killed him on the day.
Personally, I think Chad Kuhl is undoubtedly going to be the Pirates starter on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies. He will be on his necessary five days rest, and that will be a nice way to ease him back into the starting rotation. As for who goes on Monday, that will depend on whether or not the five days rest means a lot to the Pirates. If it does, Cody Ponce will likely make his regularly scheduled start for Triple-A on Sunday, and Yajure will be recalled for Monday. However, if the Pirates don't, then it could be Ponce starting Monday on six days rest if he did enough to earn another chance with the Pirates. The final option could also see Ponce go on Sunday and have Kuhl return against the Royals on Monday. The rainout made it interesting for the Pirates but opens up a world of possibilities for the Pirates to shake up the rotation.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (18-31) open up their three-game series with the Colorado Rockies (19-32) with a split doubleheader starting at 12:05 pm. JT Brubaker (3-4, 4.20) takes the ball for the Pirates in game one against Jon Gray (4-4, 3.43), and Mitch Keller (2-6, 7.41) gets the call for the Bucs in Game two against Austin Gomber (3-4, 4.56). You can watch both games live on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter by following @Buccos_Cove.
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