Pirates
Versatile Luis Ortiz Unsung Hero of Pirates Pitching Staff

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes has generated most of the attention amongst Pittsburgh Pirates pitchers this season, and rightfully so.
The rookie phenom has already established himself as one of the premier starting pitchers in the league. It’s why he started for the National League in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Similarly, fellow rookie Jared Jones garnered plenty of attention prior to landing on the 15-day injured list and Mitch Keller continues to serve as the anchor of the starting staff.
Perhaps it’s time Luis Ortiz, who didn’t even start the season in the Pirates’ rotation, got some more attention for everything he’s done this season. Whether it be as a starting pitcher or in relief, Ortiz has been one of the Pirates’ best pitchers.
His impressive season continued in the Pirates’ 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night in one of his most dominant outings of the year.
Ortiz shutout a powerful Phillies’ lineup and held them to three hits in a season-high seven innings pitched.
“It feels really good,” Ortiz said on his outing through coach/interpreter Stephen Morales. “I just went out there and attacked the strike zone, like I’ve been doing. Keeping a positive mindset and doing the best that I can to help my team win.”
Despite the loss on Saturday, the Phillies still have the best record in baseball, largely due to their star-studded lineup. Philadelphia ranks third in baseball in batting average (.258), on-base percentage (.331) and OPS (.755). They ranked fourth with 458 runs scored this season and sixth in home runs with 121.
It didn’t matter much to Ortiz, who almost effortlessly cruised through a lineup on Saturday that consisted of five players who have gone to at least one All-Star Game.
“To get seven shutout against that lineup, you pretty much have to execute pitches – and he executed all of them probably about as well as we’ve seen him … He had everything going,” said manager Derek Shelton. “He kept one of the best offenses in baseball off-balance.”
During spring training, Ortiz was in competition for the fifth spot in the Pirates’ Opening Day rotation, a battle which was eventually won by left-hander Bailey Falter. The decision resulted in Ortiz shifting to the bullpen despite starting for much of his career.
As a reliever, Ortiz has pitched very well. In 22 appearances out of the bullpen, Ortiz has posted a very-respectable 3.49 ERA.
Due to a series of injuries to the Pirates’ starting rotation, Ortiz got a chance to switch back to his more-familiar role of starting. He’s taken the opportunity and ran with it.
After his performance on Saturday, Ortiz has only been charged with a pair of earned runs in across 24.2 innings pitched, good for a phenomenal 0.73 ERA.
Shifting between different roles as a pitcher can be difficult, but Ortiz has made it look easy.
“It’s very challenging,” Shelton said. “I think that’s one of the things that’s the maturity we’ve seen out of Luis that he continues to show.”
For Ortiz himself, it doesn’t matter to him whether he’s getting the ball at the beginning of the game or in the middle of it. It’s only important that he executes.
“Like I said a couple of months ago, my job is just to go out there and do my job,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what situation they need me in, I’ll be out there and I’ll be ready. That’s part of my job: to pitch when they hand me the ball.”
Given his performance as a starter over his four outings, Ortiz is making things interesting for the Pirates.
The Bucs currently have two pitchers on the injured list in Jones (lat) and Falter (triceps), but baring anything unforeseen, both will be back on the mound in Pittsburgh again this season.
Until then, however, Ortiz will deservedly get more chances as a starter, and it might stretch out even longer into the season according to Shelton.
“Luis is making a strong case to continue to pitch in our rotation, as well as he should.”