Polanco shows pop with 3-hit, 3-RBI day

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Gregory Polanco has been barreling balls to begin spring. After batting .153 in 2020, it’s a welcome sign for the Pirates, who expect him to be an everyday contributor.

But this spring is important to Polanco beyond his box score. For the first time in three years, he’s in camp feeling fully healthy and not worried about his body.

In March 2019, Polanco underwent left shoulder surgery just before the regular season started, and then he took things slowly in Grapefruit League games in ‘20. With three rocket hits, including a homer, three RBIs and a stolen base in Saturday’s 3-2 win in seven innings over the Yankees, the Pirates’ right fielder is feeling as good as he has in a long time.

“The last two years, the last two Spring Trainings, it hasn’t been about getting ready for the season,” Polanco said. “It was trying to be healthy. Not thinking about baseball, but thinking about my health first. So this season, I’m thinking, ‘I’m healthy.’ So in my mind, I took that out of the way.”

It was nearly a concern that Polanco would once again enter camp injured and rehabbing after he sustained a right wrist injury while playing in the Dominican winter league in December. But it turned out to be a flare-up instead of a fracture, and after a few weeks in a cast, he was swinging again in January.

As big as his bat has been in Grapefruit League games thus far -- 5-for-11 with two homers and eight RBIs -- the swipe of second on Saturday was just as big of an indicator of how Polanco feels. Where he might have been tentative the past two years, he felt that he could test his body in the most intense baserunning situation.

“I feel good, and I got there safe,” Polanco said. “That’s good confidence for me right now. Like, I know where I’m at. I just have to get a good jump and then I know I’ll be safe.”

If the Pirates are going to have any traction in the National League Central standings this season, it’s going to take an offensive uptick from 2020, when the Pirates posted an MLB-worst .641 OPS. But so far in Spring Training, many of the guys who need good showings are having them. Kevin Newman is 4-for-6 with three walks. Bryan Reynolds had two hits on Saturday.

Time will tell how things translate come Opening Day, but it’s a welcome development for the Pirates -- and for Polanco.

“Any time early in camp when you’re starting to find your groove and you’re able to barrel some balls up like he did today, it’s definitely a good sign,” manager Derek Shelton said.

Worth noting
• The Pirates faced Jameson Taillon for the first time since trading him to the Yankees for four prospects on Jan. 24. The former No. 2 overall pick in 2010 by Pittsburgh pitched two scoreless innings in his first spring start.

Taillon was a fan favorite in Pittsburgh, but two Tommy John surgeries kept the right-hander off the field for extended time. He recorded a 3.67 ERA in 82 games in four seasons with the Pirates.

“I don’t feel that there’s many better people than Jamo,” Shelton said. “Happy to see him. A little bit of mixed feelings. But I’m happy for him, and I’m happy for us with how everything has turned out so far.”

“It’s good to see him healthy,” Polanco said. “I wish him the best always. He’s my brother.”

• Mitch Keller, who was scratched from his start Saturday due to inclement weather, threw a two-inning live bullpen session on 39 pitches, the Pirates said.

Up next
The Pirates will remain at LECOM Park on Sunday, when they’ll face the Orioles at 1:05 p.m. ET. JT Brubaker will make his second start of Spring Training, and he’s slated to be followed by Chase De Jong, Sam Howard, Kyle Crick, Clay Holmes, David Bednar and Chasen Shreve. The action will be live on MLB.TV.