OF Alford clubs home run, says elbow is getting better

Anthony Alford is happy to be with the Pirates, but there were plenty of memories for him in the opposing dugout Monday afternoon.

The Pirates played their second game of the spring in Dunedin, Fla., against the Toronto Blue Jays. A Blue Jays draftee in 2012, Alford spent the past five spring trainings in Dunedin, grinding to get a shot on the major league roster.

His tenure with Toronto never broke the right way for him and, in 2020, the Pirates claimed him off waivers. A fractured elbow took him out in his fifth game with Pittsburgh, and after offseason rehab, there he was on Monday, hoping to make another impression in Dunedin.

In the top of the second inning, Alford took advantage of his at-bat. He fouled off three pitches against Blue Jays left-hander Robbie Ray, then crushed a 95 mph fastball 413 feet to center field for a solo home run.

“It was kind of nervewracking playing against my old teammates and a lot of guys I came up through the system with and built a strong bond with, and they’re like family,” Alford said after his day ended. “But just to get out there and compete against them, it was a lot of fun.”

Alford’s movements right now are being carefully watched, even beyond the steps he hopes to make toward playing time. He suffered a setback with his elbow recovery at the beginning of spring training and is still working his way back from it.

That’s why in Monday’s game, he was the designated hitter, not quite ready to step into the outfield yet. Of note, though, Alford said he is close. He threw long toss up to 150 feet Monday and says his arm “felt just as good as it did before” the injury.

The sooner the better because whenever he heals completely, Alford will have a strong chance to earn more consistent major league playing time than he ever has before. He and offseason free agent signing Brian Goodwin appear to be the leaders in the clubhouse to become the Pirates’ opening day center fielder.

Manager Derek Shelton hasn’t hinted at either being ahead of the other, and he has said in no uncertain terms that it is a flat-out competition. In that respect, Alford feels comfortable.

“Once I got hurt, it was a very emotional time for me because that was the first chance that I really got to play that much, as far as consecutive days in the big leagues, and it was going well until that unfortunate injury,” Alford said. “I’m just looking forward to getting fully healthy and, like I said, competing and helping this ball club win. It’s a lot of competition, not just for me, but for everybody in camp. Everybody’s going to have to earn what they get for this ballclub throughout the year. So we’re all looking forward to it, and it’s a fun environment right now.”

It surely feels like a more fun environment when Alford can take matters into his own hands like he did Monday.

He had a flash of that same sort of feeling when he first joined the Pirates in September of last season, before his injury. In just his second game, against the Chicago Cubs, he ripped an eighth-inning, solo homer into the bullpen in left center.

Back then, and even during his recovery this offseason, Alford emphasized the excitement he had for the opportunity ahead of him.

He tried to gain that same opportunity with the Blue Jays but played in just 46 MLB games over four seasons with them.

Across the field from him on Monday were players like Rowdy Tellez, one of Alford’s best friends, and his brotherin-law, outfielder Jonathan Davis.

Alford said that before the game he chatted and caught up with his former teammates. Then he headed back to his dugout, waited for his turn in the order and clubbed a long ball out of the yard in the second inning.

He’ll keep plugging away in the days to come to prove once and for all that he deserves an extended shot in the majors.

“I hope I get the opportunity to get out here and help the ball club win a lot of games, just get out there and do my best whenever my number is called, but that’s not something I’m necessarily thinking about,” Alford said. “I’m just kind of going day to day and just trying to put together productive days and productive at-bats and play really well on defense and see what happens.”