Rotation update:
it comes back and hits you again, it’s a reminder that it doesn’t come easily. How you respond to that is important. He had a great outing the next time out. What I’ve seen of Hunter is he’s a very savvy and mature young man.”
The 6-foot-4, 197-pound Greene, pictured last spring on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the caption “The Star Baseball Needs,” was at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, the second day of a visit to Cincinnati that started on Friday with a stop at the city’s annual Oktoberfest celebration and a trip to the Major League Baseball Youth Academy in the suburb of Roselawn on Saturday morning.
“It’s been awesome to be able to check out the culture,” the 18-year-old said. “It’s nice that I’ve been able to meet some of the guys and not just text with them.”
A shortstop-pitcher at his Sherman Oaks, Calif., high school, Greene signed a contract that included a $7.23 million bonus and then started his career as Billings’ designated hitter, batting .233 (7 for 30) with two doubles, one triple, three RBIs and eight strikeouts with zero walks in seven games.
He then transferred to the mound, where the Reds projected him as performing when they drafted him. He allowed one hit in one inning of his debut Aug. 27, also against Helena. He finished 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA.
Price made it official Saturday. Right-hander Tyler Mahle’s season is done. He joins righthander Luis Castillo and lefthander Amir Garrett on the sideline.
“We were able to satisfy our goals for him,” Price said of Mahle. “He got four starts and got acclimated to the major leagues. If he makes the team next year or comes up at some point during the season, it won’t be his first taste.”
Meanwhile, Saturday starter Sal Romano will be followed in the rotation by right-handers Robert Stephenson, Jackson Stephens, Rookie Davis and Homer Bailey.
Garrett will continue to work on the side with Jenkins “to get his delivery more consistent,” Price said.
“Guys like him and Castillo and Mahle can work on things in a less strenuous way,” he said. “We want to work with all of the young guys now so that, come Feb. 15, we’re not saying, ‘We want you to do it a different way.’ We want them working on it when they initiate their throwing program during the offseason, so they know what the goals are.”
Price had hoped to leave the 2017 regular season with all five slots in next season’s starting rotation at least penciled in instead of having spring training serve as a tryout camp. Mahle’s and Castillo’s names seem to be filling berths.
“The impressions certainly were extremely positive, especially in their impact on the club,” Price said. “Castillo would be in my rotation, but I’m not the only vote on that. We’re in a better situation in that we don’t have as many question marks going into spring training.”
Pittsburgh closes its season series in Cincinnati and against the Reds in today’s 1:10 p.m. series finale.
Rookie right-hander Robert Stephenson (4-5, 5.45 ERA) is Cincinnati’s scheduled starter. Right-hander Gerrit Cole (11-10, 4.04) will start for the Pirates.
Bye-bye, Bucs: