PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – A switch-hitter since he was a teenager, Pirates Cole Tucker is giving it up.
“I’m tired of getting the bat shoved up my butt right-handed, bluntly,” Tucker said Tuesday. “I just want to give myself the best chance I can to succeed, right now I feel that is left-handed. The game will tell me and show me if that is right or wrong. I want to give it a shot. I feel good and I feel stable behind the ball left-handed.”
When you look at the numbers, it backs up Tucker’s decision. The Bucs 2014 first-round pick is one for 13 as a right-hand hitter in 2022 and just five for 31 with one extra-base hit in 2021. Tucker also believes with all of the stats out there, it’s much tougher to be a switch-hitter in today’s game
“It's something that he's been talking about with our hitting group for over the past week,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “We looked at it a little bit, we talked about it, and he decided it's the best way to go, so we're going to run with it.”
Tucker did it for the first time on Monday when he came in as an injury replacement and had to face stud Dodgers lefty Urias who has a career 3.03 ERA and 450 strikeouts in the majors.
“Obviously it's going to be challenging, and (Monday) was a challenging situation,” Shelton said. “I thought he took some pretty good swings. He fouled two balls straight back, and it's going to be a work in progress, but something I'm pretty confident he's going to work hard on.”
“It’s simpler,” Tucker said of his mindset. “You have to go into it with an attitude and mindset of confidence and a place of power. It got to a point where I was feeling like I would feel better hitting left-handed against this guy instead of right-handed.”
Tucker said it’s not a forever thing, but it wants to give it a long look to see if it can improve his .169 average this year and .211 career average in what could be his final long look from the team that drafted him.
Jake out
The author of some of the best defensive plays of the season landed on the injured list Tuesday. Jake Marisnick is who Tucker replaced in Monday’s game and left the game after suffering a left thumb injury while making a diving catch.
Signed on April 6 after being released by the Rangers, Marisnick’s defense drew high praise from Pirates manager Derek Shelton.
“The first step is as good as I’ve seen, and I think that’s eye test and we can actually track that,” Shelton said.
“That’s one of the great things about outfield defense now: You can actually look at it. And his first step is an 80. You go 20-80, it’s an 80. I don’t see very many guys that are like that.”
“I think after the game last night we talked about how I spent significant time with Kiermaier and Buxton, and they are as good as they come. Jake ranks right there with his ability and his first step. One of our defensive analysts said the other day – and this is the greatest way to put it – it’s like he knows where the ball is going to be hit at times.”
Kranick quickly returns
Right-hander Max Krancik recalled from AAA after pitching two scoreless innings in game two of the doubleheader in Cincinnati on Saturday. The 24-year-old started the season on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain. Kranick has pitched in 10 career MLB games, nine starts going 40.2 innings, 5.98 ERA, 35 strikeouts to 21 walks.