With the Pirates opener in Chicago just one week away, time is running out for players to nail down those final spots on the 25-man roster.
The bullpen is where the competition is.
When it comes to position players six are set as every day starters – catcher Jacob Stallings, second baseman Adam Frazier, shortstop Kevin Newman, third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes and outfielders Bryan Reynolds and Gregory Polanco.
Colin Moran and Todd Frazier will share first base, as long as Frazier's back comes around, and it would appear that Anthony Alford is the best of the centerfield lot.
The bench will consist of catcher Michael Perez, infielder Erik Gonzalez, Moran/Frazier and one of two outfielders – Dustin Fowler or Brian Goodwin. Phil Evans survives if Frazier has to begin the season on the injured list or if Derek Shelton keeps 13 position players. But that is unlikely as you will see.
Since Steven Brault is out for the foreseeable future, the starting rotation has already taken a major hit. Mitch Keller, JT Brubaker and Tyler Anderson are the only pitchers stretched out to any degree. If Chad Kuhl has pitched into a 5th inning it hasn't been in a Grapefruit League game but he gets a spot by default, barring injury. Trevor Cahill may eventually start but he only recently signed and would have to piggy-back, possibly with Wil Crowe, who was part of the Josh Bell trade and has done well this spring.
Assuming Shelton goes with a short bench and carries 13 pitchers, that leaves 7 more spots. One of them almost certainly will be either Sam Howard or Chasen Shreve because they are left-handed. Their Grapefruit League numbers are comparable; scoreless except one lousy outing. Edge to Howard as a known quantity.
Kyle Crick and Richard Rodriguez are locks. They have the most experience and one of them is expected to start out as the closer, although both may be used in that role as the season goes along. That leaves four spots open and some interesting choices because of roster ramifications, both short and longer term.
The candidates include some familiar faces – Michael Feliz, Chris Stratton, Geoff Hartlieb and Clay Holmes – along with newcomers David Bednar and Rule 5 draftee Luis Oviedo. There are reasons to keep all of them.
Stratton's advantage is that he can throw multiple innings and also start in a pinch. Managers like having one of those guys in the bullpen so that may earn him one of those spots.
Based on performance, Bednar and Holmes should make the team. We all know spring training stats can be meaningless, but Bednar and Holmes have been the team's best pitchers. Each has made 8 Grapefruit League appearances and neither has allowed a run.
Bednar has struck out 14 hitters in 7-and-a-third innings, with just one walk, which has been an issue with him in the past. Plus, the Mars native who came over in the Musgrove trade is genuinely excited to be here and appears to be taking advantage of his fresh start.
Holmes would normally fall into the "haven't we've seen enough of him" category but he looks like a different pitcher after reinventing himself to some degree following that last season's injuries. Holmes is longer on the roster so that might make it easier for the club to not keep him. But his stuff looks much improved and he also provides a different look than the other right-handed relievers.
I thought we had seen enough of Hartlieb, too, but then he spoke up about the lack of coaching from the Hurdle/Searage regime and now appears more confident and consistent under Shelton/Oscar Marin. He hasn't allowed a run this spring, either, but Hartlieb is a guy they can send down then bring back up as situations dictate.
I have seen enough of Feliz who can be tantalizingly good one outing only to have opposing hitters pollute the Allegheny with baseballs the next. I would move on.
The 21-year old Oviedo's advantage is that, as a Rule 5 pick, if he doesn't make the Pirates they could lose him. That's another reason the Bucs may opt for carrying 13 pitchers. He wouldn't pitch that much in games and then only in non-leverage situations. Then again, what kinds of leverage situations will the 2021 Pirates truly have. It's about development so expect the Bucs to keep Oviedo.
