Hughes makes emotional return
There is a broken folding chair in the visiting bullpen at PNC Park. For years, Pirates relievers have watched from the back bullpen, waiting for an opposing pitcher to sit on that particular seat, watching for the chair’s legs to buckle and send someone tumbling onto the ground.
Jared Hughes knew exactly which seat to steer clear of Friday.
In his first trip to Pittsburgh since parting ways with the Pirates March 29, Hughes, a 31-year-old righthanded reliever for Milwaukee, hoped to avoid another “SportsCenter” appearance.
While attempting to catch a home-run ball in the bullpen last month, Hughes face-planted. The next day, teammates drew a chalk outline where his 6-foot-7 body had fallen. Thursday, however, Hughes snagged a home run off the bat off the Brewers’ Keon Broxton.
“Sweet redemption,” Hughes said.
For Hughes, Friday was a mixture of strange and special.
The emotions welled up as he walked the Roberto Clemente Bridge to PNC Park, his home away from home for the previous six seasons. Some passers-by shouted their hellos, Hughes said, and were surprised to hear he was no longer with the Pirates.
When Hughes was released this spring, he was No. 4 on the list of longesttenured Pirates, behind Andrew McCutchen, Josh Harrison and Tony Watson.
Upon arriving at the ballpark, Hughes entered the same door he usually did. He reminded the guard at the security checkpoint he was with the visiting team now. The guard politely informed Hughes he’d need to exit the building, go around the corner and enter through a different door.
“I got rejected at the front entrance,” Hughes said, laughing.
Hughes was greeted more warmly by his former Pirates coaches and teammates. He made his rounds during batting practice and caught up with old friends. Manager Clint Hurdle said he needed to see Hughes straight away, since Hughes is Hurdle’s son Christian’s favorite player.
“I have to give Christian the message later today that Jared sends his love,” Hurdle said.
The sinkerballer posted a 2.82 ERA in 309⅓ innings for the Pirates from 2011-16, earning the nickname “The Fireman” from Hurdle for his ability to put out fires on the bases.
He was more hit or miss last season. In February, general manager Neal Huntington told Hughes, who was due $2.825 million this season if the Pirates held onto him, his spot was uncertain.
“Neal said, ‘ Hey, listen. There might be a [roster] crunch at the end of spring,’ ” Hughes recalled. “‘ You make a lot of money. If you have a bad spring, we might not want you on the team.' I had a heads-up on it. I was not necessarily surprised. I understood.”
Hughes’ spring training — a 11.57 ERA in 10 appearances — was “terrible,” he said. The release initially shocked Hughes, since he never had spent a day with another organization, but his free agency was brief.
Hughes signed with the Brewers April 2, bringing another former Pirates player to Milwaukee, joining relievers Neftali Feliz and Rob Scahill and the outfielder Broxton.
Hughes has bonded with right-hander Chase Anderson, his neighbor back home in Dallas, and said left fielder Ryan Braun is another nice guy. Braun apparently was one of the outspoken proponents of signing Hughes. He had gone 1 for 8 against Hughes.
“They took me in like family,” Hughes said. “It was a weird dynamic, there’s no denying it. Coming in the first day of the season, trying to get to know your team and playing with them immediately.”
The transition was smooth, Hughes said, and his stuff is improving. His problem this spring, as far as he understands it, was that he was unable to repeat his delivery consistently. In 11 innings for the Brewers, Hughes has a 3.27 ERA and three double-play grounders.
Friday, he planned to pick a sturdy chair in the bullpen and be ready for a reunion.
“It is a special night and a special series to return to a group and a fan base that supported me a lot over the last couple years,” Hughes said. “I'm coming back on the other side, though. You all might not like what you see when I'm sprinting out