PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He went from a shot at the postseason to no shot last Friday. Yet starting pitcher Bryse Wilson, who makes his Bucs debut at Milwaukee Monday night, says he’s pumped about leaving the Braves and becoming a Pirate.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” Wilson said Sunday. “It’s a great group of guys, been welcomed with open arms. Just couldn’t be more excited about going forward and doing what I can to improve and continue to get better. To help this team eventually get to the goal.”
Wilson said there are number of current Pirates pitchers that are in his situation. Bouncing between AAA and the majors and attempting to establish themselves. He believes they can learn off each other.
The 23-year-old made his major league debut two years ago and after just six appearances in 2020, they trusted him enough to start a post-season game. He excelled in that opportunity, allowing only a solo home run over six innings, striking out five and walking one. His stellar outing gave the Braves a 3-1 series lead that they would blow against the eventual champion Dodgers.
Even with that playoff start, Wilson didn’t make the Beaves out of Spring Training this year. Called up in the middle of April, he would make three starts, 1-2, 6.75 ERA with five walks and six strikeouts and opponents hitting .367 off him. Atlanta sent him back down to AAA, Wilson would only make a couple of spot starts before hearing of the trade Friday while playing in Memphis.
“There’s obviously been flashes,” Wilson said of his career. “Whether it’s last year’s post-season outing. A couple of starts this year against the Blue Jays and Pirates where I’ve flashed what I can do. I’m super-excited to get some consistency and some opportunities going forward and being able to prove I can be consistent with the stuff that I have.”
Wilson allowed a run, five hits, two walks and four strikeouts over 6.2 innings against the Bucs on May 22. The Toronto start May 11, allowing two runs over six innings with no walks and five strikeouts.
The 6’2”, 225-pound righty doesn’t have an overpowering two or four-seamer, like with most pitchers, it’s about eliminating the free passes.
“My gameplan is to establish the fastball,” Wilson said. “Change-up and curveball are pretty consistent. For me it’s just the command. The good outings I won’t have any walks in, the bad ones I will have three or four. The biggest thing for me is continuing to refine my mechanics which will lead to command going forward.”
He has a slider, but it’s still a work in progress. That ‘work in progress’ would describe most on the current Pirates roster.
“I’m just ready to watch him pitch,” Shelton said. “When you acquire a guy and you watch him on video or see him on the opposing side. Just excited to give him the ball as a Pirate.”
Pirates GM Ben Cherington had glowing things to say about Wilson after getting him from the Braves in the trade for Richard Rodriguez on Friday. He also lumped him in with the names generally discussed in being the rotation of the future.
It’s a two month tryout for many players and Wilson, under team control until 2027, has a shot to be a big part of hopefully a brighter future in Pittsburgh.