Keller inching closer to form
Starter ready, meshes with Davis
BRADENTON, Fla. — Any concern over Mitch Keller’s velocity in his previous outing proved to be unfounded. Meanwhile, the acquisition of Michael A. Taylor shifted Bryan Reynolds to a new position.
Those were two of the primary storylines that bubbled to the surface during the Pirates’ 6-4 loss to the Tigers on Saturday at LECOM Park, one that featured four shutout frames from Pittsburgh’s openingday starter.
The last time anyone saw Keller in a Grapefruit League game was March 6 in Sarasota, when he threw just four pitches at 94 mph and none that touched 95. It represented a sizable decrease from Keller’s previous numbers. (He threw 77 pitches at Pirate City on March 11.)
Against Detroit, Keller mostly reverted back to form, his four-seam fastball averaging 94.1 mph compared to 95.2 in 2023. Considering the nature of pitchers building volume and the fact that it’s exhibition baseball, a 1 mph drop isn’t terribly uncommon.
“[Saturday] was really good,” Keller said. “If the season started next week, I would feel ready to go.”
The right-hander walked one and struck out three. Keller gave up three hits but finished with six whiffs and nine called strikes while doing an excellent job commanding his sinker.
In addition to his own performance, Keller also liked the way he meshed with Henry Davis, who looks a lot like the Pirates’ opening-day catcher, not only because of Yasmani Grandal’s foot problems but also a terrific spring from the No. 1 overall pick in 2021.
Keller cited a first-inning sequence to Tigers first baseman Gio Urshela as evidence that they were on the same page, two sinkers and a four-seam fastball leading to a strikeout.
There was also a solid sequence in the second, when Davis had Keller throwing hard stuff to set up a sweeper for a strikeout of catcher Jake Rogers.
“His presence back there is really good,” Keller said of Davis. “He looks like he’s meant to be back there. He checks every box that a pitcher would want. He’s confident in what he’s calling. He’s confident in how he’s catching it. ... He’s really working hard back there, and it’s great.”
Lastly, the Reynolds stuff. Taylor has been one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball since breaking into MLB, and the Pirates signing him to a one-year, $4 million deal has forced a reconfiguration of the outfield.
Reynolds began getting work in right field on Friday and said he doesn’t foresee any problems. In fact, less ground to patrol at PNC Park may even help his legs.
At the plate
Davis has done most of his damage this spring via the home run — he began Saturday’s game tied for second in the Grapefruit League with four — but came through with a hit inside the third-base bag for a two-run double in the first.
The two-bagger for Davis was preceded by yet another outstanding swing from Ke’Bryan Hayes, waiting on a fastball and driving it the other way for a double.
In addition to finding a new position, Reynolds also picked up an RBI single in the fourth inning when he beat out a wild throw from Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry.
On the mound
As encouraging as Saturday might’ve been for Keller, it was considerably less so for Bailey Falter, who was not able to carry over whatever it was that he found this past Monday against the Red Sox.
Falter gave up home runs to two of the first three hitters he faced in left fielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and second baseman Eddys Leonard. In all, Falter gave up five runs in 2⅔ innings, raising his spring ERA to 8.03 in five games.
In North Port
Jack Suwinski had a home run among his three hits, and Billy McKinney also homered against the Braves in a 4-2 win in splitsquad action.
Up next
Josh Fleming (1-0, 4.70 ERA) will get his first start for the Pirates on Sunday.