Strong 1-2 Punch Developing in Triple-A Indianapolis
We have all heard the old adage that pitching a defense wins championships in baseball. These two areas are where General Manager Ben Cherington has focused most of his resources during this Pirates rebuild. He has brought in a lot of high-upside pitchers, and players who have handled the glove well throughout their careers. Because of his efforts, the Pirates farm system went from one of the worst in Major League Baseball to ranking #7 in the MLB this past off-season. Many of the guys who will impact the next contending Pirates teams are still in the low level of the Minor Leagues. However, there are a pair of pitchers in Triple-A Indianapolis that are putting up good numbers and could impact the team this season.
Chase De Jong and Beau Sulser are the 1-2 punch atop the Indianapolis Indians rotation, and through four starts the team has not lost an outing that either has pitched in. Chase De Jong absolutely dominated in his first outing of the year with 11 strikeouts in six innings and is pitching to a today 1.64 ERA through his six starts. As for Sulser, he didn't get the length he wanted in his first start, lasting just 2.2 innings of work, but he has allowed just two earned runs in his outings this year and features a 2.35 ERA in his two appearances. There is so much competition happening down in Triple-A, especially on the pitching staff, to try and prove that you have earned a shot at the Big League level. For De Jong and Sulser, they are thriving under the pressure and are pushing to be a part of the Pirates rotation at some point here in 2021.
Chase De Jong (1-0, 1.64 ERA, 16 K)
After having a spectacular Spring Training where he posted a 1.74 ERA, Chase De Jong was sent down to Triple-A on the last day of camp. At 27-years-old, De Jong is looking to turn his career around after posting a less than satisfactory 17.28 ERA with the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros. He worked all off-season and into camp with Oscar Marin and Triple-A pitching coach Joel Hanrahan to adjust his mechanics. He finally found a routine that works for him and has put that on display in exhibition games. When he got sent down, he used that as motivation to perform even better, and show he had what it takes to make it back to the Big Leagues. With so many young pitchers on the team, Pittsburgh was the perfect place for De Jong to prove himself.
He was named Triple-A Indianapolis's Opening Day starter and took the hill on the road against the Iowa Cubs. He went out and quite simply dominates going 6.0 innings allowing two hits while walking two and striking out a career-high 10 batters in the game. Only four total base runners reached against De Jong, and only two of those runners ever made it into scoring position. De Jong had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning but ended up losing it when he gave up a leadoff single to Sergio Alcantra. He would actually load the bases in that inning but rattled off three straight strikeouts to keep Iowa off the board. De Jong attacked the strike zone all night long, throwing 68.8% of his pitches for strikes, leading to the victory.
After having such a strong start in his season opener, fans were waiting to see what De Jong could do in front of the home crowd. He responded with another strong outing, going 5.0 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out six. De Jong extended his scoreless inning streak to eight games with two scoreless, but gave up his first earned run of the year in the third inning. It was allowed on a Fielder's Choice that brought home a leadoff triple. De Jong had to labor a little more in his second outing, throwing 84 pitches, and he wasn't as efficient throwing 66.2% strikes. The key to De Jong's success has been that he is pitching with a lead this year, and once he gets a lead he hasn't given it up.
Beau Sulser (1-0, 2.35 ERA, 8 K)
While his numbers haven't been nearly as flashy as De Jong's have been this season, Beau Sulser is off to a similarly fast start. In his first two appearances with Triple-A Indianapolis, the right-hander has gone 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 innings of work while walking one and striking out four. If it wasn't for a short outing in his appearance, his numbers would look even better. the nice thing to see with Sulser is that he is showing good control through his first two starts. Control has been something Sulser has possessed throughout his pro career and has helped him climb the Minor League ladder. He has faced 839 batters in his career and has walked just 43 of them for a career walk rate of 5.1%.
In his first start of the year, Sulser lasted just 2.2 innings of work and gave up two earned runs. It wasn't that he was wild, the opposition was just putting the bat on the ball too much. He allowed a solo home run in the first and looked better after working out of a bases-loaded jam in the second. However, the hits just kept on coming, and after a home run in the bottom of the third, Sulser was pulled. However, his team ended up helping him out with a no-decision, as Nick Mears was the one who ended up with the loss. Sulser had to work on his efficiency if he wanted to do deeper into games, as it took him 65 pitches to get through 2.2 innings of work.
His next start came on the road in Toledo, and aside from defensive errors behind him, he pitched really well. He lasted five innings in the game and gave up two unearned runs on four hits while walking one and striking out four. He was much more efficient in this outing and dropped his opponent's batting average from a staggering .425 to .303 in one outing. This time, he needed just 68 pitches to get through the five innings of work and ended up throwing nearly 70% of his pitches for strikes. Sulser is coming off a career year at Double-A Altoona in 2019, where he posted a 2.35 ERA in 36 games and is making the transition from reliever to starter in 2021. So far, it has been a good dynamic for the top of the Indian's rotation, and one they are hoping to keep intact.
The Pittsburgh Pirates (15-22) keep their four-game series going with the San Francisco Giants (23-14) tonight at 6:35 pm. Miguel Yajure (0-1, 8.31) was called up to make the start tonight for the Pirates against Kevin Gausman (3-0, 1.97) for the Giants. You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet or listen on 93.7 The Fan.
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