Mathias a late entry for wide open second base job

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The Pirates have been very open this spring that the second base job is up for grabs, with Rodolfo Castro, Ji Hwan Bae and Tucupita Marcano being the three most likely candidates.

The first half of that spring competition hasn't yielded a frontrunner, though. Marcano has the highest OPS of the trio at .513, while Bae has the lowest at .414. It's a small sample size and spring results are not always reflective of the player, but nobody has run away with that job.

"I think we're open to anything right now," Derek Shelton said before the Pirates' 9-6 win over the Yankees at George Steinbrenner Field Thursday. "No one has really stepped up and grabbed it, but we have two weeks left."

Considering anything could open the door to a newcomer, potentially giving him his first real big-league look after a very solid season in the minors last year.

Last week, the club acquired Mark Mathias from the Rangers for minor-league pitcher Ricky DeVito, giving them another contender for either a utility job or a chance to start. Shelton has expressed the former is the more likely outcome if he earns a roster spot, but if the Pirates are open to anything, why not the guy who appeared to have a breakout season in 2022?

Mathias was designated by the Rangers earlier this month after he appeared to be a trade deadline steal. After hitting .322 with a .940 OPS in Class AAA between the Brewers and Rangers, he finished in the majors on a hot streak with five home runs and a .919 OPS over 24 games with his new club.

"Going into 2022, I tried not to set the expectations too high," Mathias said. "I just wanted to get my feet under me again, just working a lot in the offseason with my timing and being more consistent with it and my contact point has definitely helped me."

Mathias got the start in right field Thursday and went 0-for-3 as he tries to get that timing back after being away from game action for about a week before debuting Tuesday with the Pirates.

Being able to play the outfield and being a plus defensive infielder, according to a report from an analyst, makes him an intriguing bench option. The Pirates love defensive versatility, but so far this spring they have focused Bae more on second base, creating a bit of an opening for someone like Mathias.

"Texas actually asked me if I could be an emergency catcher," Mathias said, making his case. "I told them, ‘Yeah, I can catch too.’ Any way I can help the team win is my goal."

Be careful saying that around the Pirates. There's considerably more catcher depth this year than last, but Josh VanMeter will tell you it just takes an injury and an ejection for that emergency offer to catch to become a reality.

After bouncing around between the Brewers, Rangers and their top farm clubs, Mathias has a chance at some stability and a major-league job now. Perhaps even a starting job at second in the not so distant future if he's able to continue to control the bat, which is one of the main selling points that attracted the Pirates.

It's a great opportunity, but he's not going to press for it.

"I try not to do too much," Mathias said. "I got two more weeks of camp. I try to focus on every day, one day at a time, try not to compare it to any players, just try to work on my development and what I have to do to get better for Opening Day is my main goal. Having a full week off and getting live at-bats again, I’m starting to get my feet wet again. I feel comfortable and try to keep it going."

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• Johan Oviedo has been inconsistent this spring, and that continued Thursday, walking three consecutive batters and allowing a pair of runs (one earned) over 3 1/3 innings. Yohan Ramirez allowed a pair of runs in the fifth as well.

After falling behind early and being perfect game'd by Clarke Schmidt through five innings, the bats came alive in the second half. That included a pair of RBI doubles from Carter Bins and a Drew Maggi home run, his third of the spring. Miguel Andújar doubled twice and scored twice, and Travis Swaggerty picked up another RBI single in what has been a strong spring for him.

• Carlos Santana slipped on the grass fielding a pop up in the third inning. He exited with left knee discomfort the next inning and was treated by the medical staff. Reliever prospect Tyler Samaniego exited in his second inning of work with an apparent injury, though it was not disclosed.

• Caught up with Mitch Keller Thursday, one day after Shelton announced he was going to be the Pirates' opening day starter against the Reds in Cincinnati March 30. He was, of course, grinning ear to earn the whole time.

"It’s really cool, man," Keller said. "Just thinking about where I was, even at the start of last year. I didn’t even have a job. Now, just keep pushing through and keep working hard and knowing and having belief in myself. Like I said, having all the support system behind me, of everybody pushing me along and helping me along. To be named Opening Day starter is a really cool accomplishment and an honor to represent our team and all the people who have been with me."

Good for him. He deserves it after everything he did last year.

• Some injury news from director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk:

As expected, Jarlín García is officially out for Opening Day, and will probably be out for some time after that. He has sustained an injury to some nerves to his left upper-arm, in the mid-humerus biceps region. As a result, the team is in a holding pattern, and they'll get more imaging and tests done in four to five weeks. Until then, he's not going to throw.

"This is a unique, rare instance in professional overhead throwers, let alone professional pitchers," Tomczyk said. "We're still learning. He's still learning. But unfortunately right now, he's unable to grip the ball."

Not having García certainly puts the Pirates in an awkward spot with their bullpen. They have a couple options for a lefty reliever -- like Rule 5 pick Jose Hernandez or minor league free agents Angel Perdomo and Daniel Zamora -- but they all have little or no major-league experience.

"I think right now we're still in evaluation mode with about two weeks left," Shelton said. "But it does [complicate things] because [García] was the one lefty we knew was going to be in our bullpen, so now we have to see not only how we are going to facilitate the at-bats against left-handed [hitting], whether it's a left-hander or a right-hander we think can get left-handers [out]. But I don't think we have an answer to that right now."

Andrew McCutchen is dealing with some "very minor" right elbow soreness that's impacting his throwing and hitting. He brought it to the medical team, and it's why he hasn't played much of late.

Robert Stephenson (elbow) threw a live batting practice Wednesday to positive results. He'll most likely throw another live before appearing in a game. They're taking things one assignment at a time, so it's too soon to say if he could be ready to start the season.

Infield prospect Dariel Lopez is out for the season after dislocating his knee doing a jumping exercise on the field. He is ranked by Baseball America as the No. 24 prospect in the farm system.

• A closing note on Endy Rodriguez, who was optioned to Class AAA Indianapolis Tuesday: He's going to catch. A lot. He's defensively versatile, but the No. 1 thing Shelton said the Pirates want to see from him in the minors is how he grows as a full-time catcher.

"He just needs to catch," Shelton said. "I think we're excited Endy Rodriguez is a Pirate."

No word if that means Henry Davis will start in Class AA Altoona, but that seems like a real possibility.