Morning Rundown: Two reassigned to minor league camp, Mike Burrows optioned, Ke'Bryan homers again
Pirates reassign a pair of players to minor league camp, option Mike Burrows to the minors.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that they have reassigned Sean Sullivan and Connor Sadzeck to minor league camp and optioned right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to the minors.
Sadzeck was signed as a minor league free agent and invited to spring training. He pitched in three games, allowing four earned runs and two walks while striking out three in 2.1 innings.
An eighth-round pick in 2021, Sullivan also pitched in three games, allowing seven earned runs, eight hits, and two walks while striking out two in 2.1 innings.
His velocity was up to 95/96, but the control wasn’t what we were used to seeing.
Burrows pitched in just two games last year before going out with an injury that resulted in Tommy John surgery.
Top Exit Velocity
Ke’Bryan Hayes - 108.4 mph - Home Run
Andrew McCutchen - 106.3 mph - Home Run
Matt Fraizer - 102.8 mph - Double
Jake Lamb - 99.9 mph - Single
Rowdy Tellez - 98.6 mph - Groundout
Pitch Velocity
Roansy Contreras - 95.9 mph
Roansy Contreras - 95.8 mph
Roansy Contreras - 95.7 mph
Roansy Contreras - 95.6 mph
Roansy Contreras - 95.6 mph
Total Whiffs (Whiff%)
Martin Perez - 6 (22%)
Chase Anderson - 4 (30.7%)
Brent Honeywell Jr. - 3 (42.8%)
Roansy Contreras - 2 (10%)
The Pirates won their home game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday. Ke’Bryan Hayes and Andrew McCutchen both hit home runs. Hayes went 2-2 with a walk on the day.
Jake Lamb picked up a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Matt Fraizer hit a very deep double to center field that scored a run.
Martin Perez looked solid in his start, pitching four shutout innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out another two.
He effectively used his cutter and sinker on both sides of the plate and got four of his six whiffs with the change-up.
On the road against the Braves, the split-squad team tied the game 6-6 after allowing three runs in the bottom of the seventh, which evened the score.
Gilberto Celestino (2-2, 2 BB, RBI, R), Edward Olivares (2-2, 2 R), and Billy McKinney (2-3, 2B, BB, 3 RBI) all picked up multiple hits. Canaan Smith-Njigba hit his second home run of the spring.
Marco Gonzales didn’t fare as well as Perez, pitching 3.1 innings while allowing six hits and three runs (two earned) with a walk and strikeout. Hunter Stratton pitched two-thirds of an inning while putting up his fifth scoreless appearance in relief.
The Pirates will travel to Lakeland on Saturday to play the Detroit Tigers. Luis Ortiz is expected to start for the Pirates, with Matt Manning taking the mound for the home team.
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The lack of strike out from the starting pitcher is a little unsettling, I don’t think we have a bad fielding team, but is not a great one. Contreras getting two WHIFFS is an indication to me at least that he’s not deserving of a starting spot, long relief/mop up role is all I see right now out of him. Gonzales is in the same boat. BC needs to make a move for someone like Clevinger ASAP. Right now you have to squint hard to see 4 deserving starters; Keller, Perez, maybe Ortiz and maybe Priester. Jones? Why not?
Heard some jagoff saying jake lamb needs to make the team at 1B or he will stop following them, I had no words