Over the past few years, JT Brubaker and Chad Kuhl would often pick each other's brains on how they should go about pitching. Rising through the ranks as prospects, both right-handers were primarily sinker-slider pitchers and their stuff profiled similarly, but once they got to the majors, they expanded their arsenals more, throwing four-seamers, curveballs and changeups.
Kuhl's time with the Pirates did not have a happy ending, being designated for assignment just before the lockout before signing with the Rockies this spring.
"I still watch him from afar," Brubaker told me.
There's good reason for him to keep watching. Kuhl's clicked with his new team, pitching to a 3.67 ERA in his first eight starts. And despite pitching in the harshest pitching environment, Kuhl's slider is pegged by Baseball Savant as the most valuable pitch in baseball so far this season, saving him 13 runs so far.
On Monday, the two teammates met at PNC Park for the first time as competitors at and Brubaker came out in front, allowing just one unearned run over 6 2/3 innings as the Pirates won, 2-1.
It wasn't Kuhl's best start of the year, getting pulled after 4 1/3 innings, but he allowed only one run with his sinker-heavy approach. He threw both last year, but the four-seamer (25.4%) was far more common than his sinker (13%). It's changed this year, where the sinker has been thrown 34.8% while the four-seamer is barely touched with 4.4% usage. The sinker and slider tunnel well off of each other, and while the lack of four-seamers up doesn't give his high spin curveball a pitch to tunnel naturally off of, that old combo as well as it ever has in the majors.
Brubaker appears to be going through something similar right now.
That doesn't mean he's going to lean just into his sinker and slider. He does have five different offerings to choose from.
"I want to be able to utilize all my pitches," Brubaker said. "Let hitters know he does have a curveball and changeup he will use too."
But that classic combo is what's really working for him right now:
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Back in spring training, pitching coach Oscar Marin told me that Brubaker was going to emphasize the sinker more to right-handed hitters because he got better results with it. That change in approach has yielded good results, with hitters batting just .172 with a .293 slugging percentage against the sinker entering play Monday.
The slider, meanwhile, has also seen a similar boost in results, like Kuhl's, getting a whiff 47.7% of the time.
"It’s interesting that sometimes, the slider was really good the last time," Derek Shelton said. "Then all of a sudden you get the slider going. The sinker starts to work off of it because your slot works in the right spot."
It's led to better results. Omitting his first two starts of the year, Brubaker has pitched to a 3.57 ERA and 3.59 FIP with proper peripherals to match. The only time he did not pitch at least five innings during that stretch he was sick in Chicago.
The slider and sinker are propelling him to better starts, but he doesn't like the idea that he's been building to this point all year.
"My expectation was to be this the whole time," Brubaker said. "It was just little things here and there. Like I told you guys before, getting back over the zone. Ever since I’ve gotten back over the zone and pounding it and going right after guys, it’s been sliding in the right direction. "
MORE FROM THE GAME
• It was the Ke'Bryan Hayes show at PNC Park Monday. The third baseman went 3-for-3 with a walk and opened the scoring with a double down the line in right in the first inning.
He opened the eighth inning with a base hit and started a battle with Tyler Kinley at first base, with the reliever trying his best to keep him at bay. Eventually, with Daniel Vogelbach up, Hayes swiped the bag cleanly.
"I was really trying to go on [Bryan] Reynolds’ at bat but he kind of mixing and holding pretty good," Hayes said. "After a few deliveries to home, especially when Vogey got up, his times to the plate were in my favor. I kind of shortened my lead up, just in case, so I didn’t get picked off because I knew with his times I would be able to get there easier. I just chose to go with that 1-1 count.”
Vogelbach grounded out to third to advance Hayes another base, and he came home when Yoshi Tsutsugo chopped one off the plate and beat it out for an infield single:
• Brubaker didn't need much help defensively, but he did get one big catch from shortstop Rodolfo Castro, who managed to not only catch up with this Brendan Rodgers looper in shallow left field and grab it at full extension, but also call off the outfielders to put himself in position to make the play:
"I think that’s a sign of continuing to be more comfortable there," Shelton said.
• This win comes after suffering a sweep to the Cardinals this past weekend, which was capped off by an 18-4 loss Sunday.
After that game Sunday, Shelton addressed the team's effort in that loss.
"The one thing with him, he just wants you to play hard," Hayes said. "[He] felt like, as a collective, we didn't play to that standard yesterday."
Hayes said that address led to better at-bats from the Pirates Monday.
• Before the game, the Pirates selected the contract of right-handed reliever Yerry De Los Santos and added him to the major-league roster.
With Class AAA Indianapolis, De Los Santos pitched to a 1.72 ERA over 15 2/3 innings pitched with three saves, two walks and 20 strikeouts.
"The sinker is a really good pitch that we like," Shelton said. "We’ve extended him over his last few outings to pitch multiple innings. It was at the point he deserved to be in the big leagues."
In a corresponding move, Bryse Wilson was optioned to Indianapolis, on the heels of his start Sunday where he allowed seven runs and was pulled in the second inning. He is 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA this season.
Walks and not putting the ball over the plate often enough were cited as the main reasons for his demotion.
"He's a guy that has commanded the ball throughout his career and thrown strikes, but it's just not as consistent as it needs to be right now," Shelton said. "He will go down and that will be his primary focus."
To make room on the 40 man, Kevin Newman was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Newman recently returned back to Pittsburgh after experiencing a setback in his rehab assignment.
• Roberto Pérez talked to the media for the first time since his hamstring injury earlier this month, and he expressed his desire to return to the Pirates in 2023. I wrote about that here.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Live file
• Standings
• Statistics
• Schedule
• Scoreboard
THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE INJURIES
• 10-day injured list: OF Jake Marisnick (thumb)
• 60-day injured list: OF Greg Allen (hamstring), RHP Blake Cederlind (UCL), RHP Nick Mears (elbow surgery), Kevin Newman (groin), Roberto Pérez (hamstring, out for season)
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Ben Gamel, LF
2. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
3. Bryan Reynolds, CF
4. Daniel Vogelbach, DH
5. Yoshi Tsutsugo, DH
6. Josh VanMeter, 2B
7. Rodolfo Castro, SS
8. Jack Suwinski, RF
9. Michael Perez, C
And for Bud Black's Rockies:
1. Connor Joe, DH
2. Charlie Blackmon, RF
3. C.J. Cron, 1B
4. Ryan McMadhon, 3B
5. Brendan Rodgers, 2B
6. Randal Grichuk, CF
7. Jose Iglesias, SS
8. Sam Hilliard, LF
9. Elias Diaz, C
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates have yet to announce a starter for Tuesday's game, but all signs point to Roansy Contreras being promoted and getting the start (he even had a locker set up in the clubhouse). Kyle Freeland (1-4, 4.85) will go for the Rockies. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m.
THE CONTENT
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