Notes: Bucs trim roster; 2 pitchers play CF?
PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates trimmed their PNC Park camp roster by two players as they sent relievers Geoff Hartlieb and Miguel Del Pozo to their alternate training site camp in Altoona, manager Derek Shelton announced after the club's intrasquad scrimmage Thursday afternoon.
Those moves bring some clarity to the Pirates' 30-man Opening Day roster, as the club previously had 18 active pitchers in big league camp. It's possible that all the pitchers who are active in camp could remain on the roster heading into the Bucs' season opener in St. Louis on July 24.
The Pirates began Summer Camp with 22 pitchers among the group training in Pittsburgh. But one of those is Jameson Taillon, who won't pitch this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and veteran right-hander Hector Noesí left the team after electing not to play this year.
Relief prospect Blake Cederlind has yet to appear in camp following a positive COVID-19 test, which he gave the club permission to reveal earlier this month. Closer Keone Kela also has been absent, for undisclosed reasons. With Hartlieb and Del Pozo joining the satellite camp in Altoona, the Bucs are left with 16 active pitchers.
The Pirates might need to further trim their pitching staff before Opening Day if Kela returns ready to pitch, but his status remains uncertain. Asked if he was concerned about Kela's readiness a week before Opening Day, Shelton said they still haven't made a decision as to whether he'll be on the roster.
"I think it's something that, once we get closer to that point, we'll make a decision on that," Shelton said. "But until then, we won't really make any decision."
Hartlieb and Del Pozo figure to be among the Bucs' top depth options if they need bullpen reinforcements this season. Hartlieb, the 26-year-old right-hander, put together a 2.50 ERA with Triple-A Indianapolis last season, but he struggled to a 9.00 ERA in 29 Major League appearances. He has a spot on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster.
Del Pozo came to Pirates camp as a non-roster invitee on a Minor League deal. The 27-year-old lefty put together a 10.61 ERA over 17 appearances in his Major League debut for the Angels last season, but he managed to strike out 10 batters with only one walk over 7 2/3 innings in Spring Training.
Around the horn
• Super-utility man JT Riddle worked out on the field at PNC Park on Wednesday and Thursday, but he did not play in either of the club's last two intrasquad scrimmages. Shelton declined to provide an explanation for Riddle not participating in either game.
"We're just working through a couple things with him right now," Shelton said. "But yeah, he's able."
• With veteran center fielder Jarrod Dyson getting a standard day off, Riddle not playing and Gregory Polanco still absent for undisclosed reasons, the Pirates were so short on outfielders Thursday afternoon that they had room for starting pitchers Joe Musgrove and Derek Holland to play center field, while special assistant David Eckstein bounced in and out of right field.
Guillermo Heredia and Bryan Reynolds played left field. Socrates Brito played right field behind Mitch Keller, while Eckstein manned the corner spot behind Chris Stratton and Hartlieb. That meant center field was for Musgrove and Holland.
Shelton joked that he would have preferred to see left-hander Steven Brault, who played outfield in college, in center rather than Musgrove or Holland. When he heard that Holland and Musgrove wanted to run around in the outfield, Shelton laid down some ground rules.
"I just said, 'No diving, no throwing, no running into the wall,' all those things," Shelton said.
• Shelton said he was pleased with Keller's outing. The right-hander gave up four hits, walked two and struck out two while working into the fourth inning against most of Pittsburgh's everyday lineup. The strikeouts stood out, as he punched out Reynolds in the second inning and then made Josh Bell take an ugly swing on a slider that darted in under the All-Star's hands.
"Definitely the thing that made me smile today was watching him execute and also continuing to see his development, because like we've said numerous times, as we've said as a group: This guy's got a major ceiling," Shelton said. "So that makes me smile."
• Starting opposite Keller, Stratton recorded five outs, gave up two softly hit singles without a walk and struck out Cole Tucker. Stratton has piqued the Pirates' interest with his high-spin fastball and breaking pitches, and he could work in any role from starter to piggyback pitcher to high-leverage swingman.
"I've pretty much done everything so far, besides close, and I don't think I'm quite qualified for that one," Stratton said, smiling. "I just think that I'm capable of getting multiple outs. If that's at the beginning of the game, if it's opening, if it's starting, whatever, if it's in the middle of the game, hopefully I can help the team as best as possible with the things that I have."
• Shelton said pitching coach Oscar Marin is finalizing pitching plans for Pittsburgh's three exhibition games against Cleveland. Musgrove will start Saturday's game (watch live at 7:05 p.m. ET on MLB.TV and MLB Network).