Ben Gamel Swinging Hot Bat Leading the Way

When he first came to Pittsburgh, it took outfielder Ben Gamel some time to get into the flow of things. Now that he is playing every day, he has been swinging a hot bat and earning his spot as the Pirates' left fielder.

Ever since Anthony Alford and Dustin Fowler failed in centerfield, and Bryan Reynolds was moved there, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been looking for someone to take over in left field. Several players have tried including Ka'ai Tom, Wilmer Difo, and even Jared Oliva but none have really gotten a hold of the position. With the job up for grabs, there is one outfielder who is trying to show that he can handle the duties for the rest of the season. Ben Gamel came to the Pirates in early May when they claimed him off waivers from the Cleveland Indians, and he struggled initially. However, he has been getting more playing time as of late and has capitalized on his opportunities.

Ever since the calendar turned to July, Gamel has turned it on hitting .421 with four home runs and eight RBI in his five games this month. He had his best game yet last night, going 3-4 with two home runs and a career-high six RBI as the Pirates pounded the visiting Atlanta Braves 9-1. Of his five home runs this season, four have come in his last five games as he is establishing himself in the middle of the Pirates lineup. It is a very small sample size, but as the saying goes if you hit you are going to play, and Gamel has been doing a lot of hitting lately. It has helped his season numbers jump to .234 with five home runs and 11 RBI. Today, we look back at what has made Gamel so good, and if he can lock down this left-field spot until the end of the season.

Gamel Providing July Fireworks

When the Pirates picked up Gamel back in early May, one thing he was not known for was his home run ability. His previous career-high for home runs was 11 back in 2017 when he was a member of the Seattle Mariners. However, ever since July, Gamel has brought some pop to the middle of the Pirates lineup that we haven't seen this season. In five games during the month of July, Gamel has hit four home runs, two of which came against his former team the Milwaukee Brewers. He is slugging a ridiculous 1.158 over these past five games and has an OPS of 1.163 during that same span. With guys like Colin Moran injured and Ke'Bryan Hayes struggling, Gamel has been a big pick-me-up for this lineup.

However, he isn't only hitting the ball out of the ballpark, but hitting for average as well. He currently owns a modest five-game hitting streak and has been an on-base machine during that time. Of his eight hits during the current run, six of them have gone for extra bases (4 home runs and two doubles). He is beginning to use the gaps at PNC Park to his advantage, and it is beginning to show in his stat line. Even before this current five-game hitting streak, Gamel was showing that he is a much better hitter at PNC Park than on the road. In 32 home games this season, Gamel is hitting .267 with four home runs and 10 RBI. However, when he is on the road, he is hitting just .206 with two home runs and four RBI. Even when he was with the Brewers, Gamel had a knack for getting big hits against the Pirates, but now he is having that same success on our side.

However, perhaps the biggest thing Gamel has going for him right now is his plate discipline. Over his last five games, Gamel has drawn two walks and struck out only four times. Gamel is working more counts and seeing more pitches leading to better at-bats for the outfielder. When Gamel is ahead of the count, he is a much more effective hitter, batting .325 with four home runs and six RBI. He seems more focused at the plate when he is working the count, and it allows him to wait for his pitch rather than have to swing at a pitcher's pitch. The success we have seen from Gamel is very refreshing and is hopefully something that will help the Pirates end the first half on a positive note before heading to the All-Star break.

Locking Down Left Field

If there is one thing that this hot stretch has done for Gamel, it is lockdown that left fielders role. The Pirates have been waiting all season for someone to claim that third outfield spot, and Gamel is well on his way to doing that. He will have to show that he can sustain this success for more than a five-game stretch, but right now he is your everyday guy in left field. With Ka'ai Tom on the Injured List, and Gregory Polanco slowed down by a hip injury, this is Gamel's chance to get everyday reps without having to switch out with someone else. Gamel has played sporadically over the last two months and is showing that with some consistency, he can be a quality fielder.

Prior to this current stretch of 13 straight starts, the most consecutive games that Gamel has played for the Pirates was six back in early June. It didn't give him enough time to get his timing down, and may have been one of the reasons he was struggling so mightily. While he hasn't cut it as a middle of the lineup bat until last night, his real home in the Pirates lineup has been the seventh spot in the batting order. He is hitting .267 as the #7 hitter with three RBI and four doubles in 30 at-bats this season. The Pirates have needed a boost in the lower half of their lineup, and Gamel has been providing that, especially during this stretch.

As we said before, the key to Gamel keeping his current starting job is for him to just keep hitting the ball. With guys being slowed down by injuries right now, it is the perfect time for Gamel to take advantage and jump ahead of some players on the depth chart. Gamel says he loves playing in Pittsburgh, and with the way he is currently playing the fans are falling in love with him too. His defense has shown through all season long, as he has not yet committed an error in 2021. Gamel was becoming a bit of a journeyman early in the year after struggling with the Cleveland Indians. Sometimes, a change of scenery is all you need, and he has been thriving during his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pittsburgh Pirates (31-53) look to make it two-in-a-row from the Atlanta Braves (41-43) when they play game two of their series tonight at 7:05 pm. Chad Kuhl (2-5, 5.16) looks to keep his strong stretch going when he takes on Ian Anderson (5-4, 3.35) for the Braves. You can watch the game live on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter by following @Buccos_Cove.