SPRING REPORT
YANKEES 7 PIRATES 4
BRADENTON, Fla. — Last year, Kevin Newman was a walking example that spring training stats are untrustworthy. He hit .606 over 13 games, then collapsed, putting up one of the worst statistical campaigns for a full-season position player in Pirates history.
This spring, he’s back at it. Entering Tuesday’s game against the Boston Red Sox, Newman was 4 for 11 with two doubles in four appearances. He has made noticeable adjustments, lowering his hands substantially while standing in the box. He has emphasized that he tried to build strength this offseason.
In the sixth inning, he got to show those adjustments off. With two outs and two on, Red Sox reliever Jake Diekman left a fastball in the middle of the plate, and Newman pounded it 389 feet over the left-field wall. The three-run homer helped deliver a 6-2 win for the Pirates.
“When I hit balls like that and the few doubles that I’ve hit this spring, it gives me the confidence,” Newman said. “I mean, that’s what spring’s for, getting those live at-bats. So being able to do that and come out and actually see and feel the benefits and kind of get to have that feeling in your head that ‘This is good, this is good, this plays,’ just continuing to build that confidence and take it into the season.”
On the mound
Mitch Keller is in a somewhat similar position to Newman. He has shown flashes of becoming a very good starting pitcher in the past, only to fall frustratingly short of that promise.
On Tuesday, Keller put his best foot forward once again. He threw four innings, his longest outing of the spring, and has thrown 82⁄
3 scoreless innings.
More encouragingly is that Keller worked in and out of trouble efficiently against the Red Sox.
“Giving up some hits there through the holes, that’s going to happen in the regular season,” he said. “Just being able to work through it and know that I can work out of it and that I can use my best stuff to get out of those situations is a huge confidence boost. Just taking that with me into the season.”
Aaron Fletcher, Chase De Jong, Heath Hembree and David Bednar all pitched scoreless innings.
At the plate
Along with Newman, infielder Hoy Park and first baseman Daniel Vogelbach hit homers.
The three home runs give the Pirates 24 this spring, second most across all of spring training.
“We’ve taken good swings and we’ve got some balls up in the air,” manager Derek Shelton said. “I don’t really think that’ll maintain, us leading the league in homers, but the fact that our guys have taken some good swings and gotten some balls elevated is a positive sign.”
Up next
Game: Pirates vs. Minnesota Twins, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers, Fla., 1:05 p.m. Wednesday. Pitchers: RHP Bryse Wilson vs. RHP Josh Winder. Watch/Listen: Pirates.com.