Top Internal Options for Pirates to Consider Adding to Bullpen
PITTSBURGH — Bullpen woes have been an all-too-common occurrence for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season, and they were once again the storyline against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park on Tuesday night.
Paul Skenes delivered six-strong innings and left the game with the score tied 2-2, but the Dodgers erupted for 10 runs in the seventh inning and routed the Pirates 12-3, handing Pittsburgh its fourth straight loss.
The 10 runs marked the most the Pirates have allowed in an inning since the Cincinnati Reds reached double digits in the second inning of a game on July 29, 2019.
Rookie Wilber Dotel, who has emerged as one of the team’s top relievers this season, failed to rretire any of the six batters he faced. Fellow first-year pitcher Brandan Bidios had more walks (three) than outs recorded (two), before Dennis Santana had to come in to get the final out of the inning.
Dotel allowed six runs (all earned) and four runs (one earned) went on Bidois’ ledger. The two have hardly been the reason for the team’s bullpen struggles this season but were the latest display of an ongoing problem with middle relief that is holding the Pirates back from being better than their current 34-33 record.
Following Tuesday’s trainwreck, the Pirates are 19th in baseball and 12th in the National League with a 4.33 ERA from their relievers.
At some point, the Pirates must consider making a move — or multiple for that matter — to shake things up. Until teams are more willing to make trades, general manager Ben Cherington will have to look internal to try and find solutions.
Here are four players the Pirates could consider promoting from Triple-A Indianapolis.
RHP Isaac Mattson
Mattson was with the Pirates to begin the season and posted a 4.12 ERA in 21 appearances before he was optioned on May 20.
Since he was sent down, the right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in eight appearances. He’s totaled 7.2 innings, allowed two runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts.
Last season, Mattson burst onto the scene and emerged as one of Pittsburgh’s key relief options. In his first extended season as a big-leaguer, the right-hander went 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA across 44 appearances.
Maybe it’s time the Pirates give him another shot.
RHP Antwone Kelly
Kelly, who ranks as Pittsburgh’s seventh-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, was named the Indians Triple-A pitcher of the month for May.
It was a slow start to the season for Kelly, who rebounded in May by going 2-0 with a 3.60 ERA in five starts for Indianapolis. His first two appearances in June have both come out of the bullpen, and the 22-year-old has tossed five-scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
On the season, Kelly is 3-4 with a 4.50 ERA across 13 appearances/10 starts. The Pirates added Kelly to their 40-man roster in the offseason, so as with Mattson, they would only need to make a corresponding move to the active roster.
RHP Justin Meis
Unlike the previous two, Meis is not on the Pirates’ 40-man roster, but he’s been performing well with Indianapolis this season.
In 18 relief appearances, the 26-year-old owns a 3.00 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He’s only allowed 15 hits and has walked 16 with 27 strikeouts in 30 innings.
Meis has been particularly effective of late. Over his last eight appearances, he has a 0.87 ERA (1er/10.1ip) with a 0.68 WHIP and 12 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .067 batting average.
It would be a homecoming for Meis, who graduated from Bethel Park High School in the suburbs south of the city. The Pirates drafted him out of Eastern Michigan University in the 10th round in 2021.
RHP Beau Burrows
Burrows isn’t on the 40-man roster after re-upping with the Pirates as a non-roster invite for spring training in the offseason.
It’s been a good season with Indianapolis for the right-hander, who is 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA with three saves in 20 appearances. Burrows has totaled 24.2 innings with 15 hits, 10 walks, 20 strikeouts and has held opponents to a .170 batting average.
Burrows, 29, last pitched in the big leagues in 2021. In 11 career appearances between the Tigers and Twins, he is 0-1 with a 10.70 ERA.
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