Pirates Bring Back Rookie Pitcher Before Tigers Game
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are always changing their roster around and are doing so once again with their pitching staff.
The Pirates recalled right-handed pitcher Antwone Kelly ahead of their next game vs. the Detroit Tigers at PNC park on Aug. 18.
Pittsburgh also optioned right-handed relief pitcher Isaac Mattson to Triple-A Indianapolis, making room on the 26-man roster for Kelly.
It's a big opportunity for Kelly, who will most likely get a chance to pitch in this game vs. the Tigers and prove he is a part of the Pirates future.
Why The Pirates Brought Kelly Up vs. Tigers
The Pirates bullpen has worked itself quite thin the past few games, pitching the last 18 innings with two bullpen games.
Right-handed pitcher Lake Bachar and Carmen Mlodzinski pitched three innings each in the 8-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 16 and the 8-5 loss to the Tigers on Aug. 17.
Right-handed pitchers Camilo Doval and Kirby Yates each threw an inning over the past two games, left-handed pitcher Gregory Soto has thrown an inning in the last game and the 4-0 loss to the Red Sox on Aug. 15, while right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramírez threw an inning last night, but it ended up as 44 pitches.
The Pirates also utilitzed different pitchers in bulk roles, with rookies in right-hander Wilber Dotel throwing two innings on Aug. 15 and left-hander Hunter Barco throwing three innings on Aug. 16, plus Mattson throwing two innings in the last game.
All three of these pitchers went back down to Triple-A after these outings, performing their role and then bringing up the next person to take on a big chunk of innings.
Kelly will most certainly perform this role in this game, likely coming in after right-handed starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft.
Kelly's Tenure with the Pirates
The Pirates have brought Kelly up for a fourth time and he had a bulk role in his past three outings for them.
Kelly most recently did this against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 31, throwing three scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks and posting three strikeouts.
It was the best outing of his major league career, especially considering he gave up three runs against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 12 and two runs to the Miami Marlins on his MLB debut on June 12, both at PNC Park and both times allowing a two-run home run.
Kelly has pitched twice for Indianapolis since he last went down and given up just one run over six innings. He has also just given up one run in his past five outings and 21 innings pitched down in the minors.
It's likely that the Pirates send Kelly back down to Triple-A after this game, but that shouldn't stop him from putting on a great performance in front of the home crowd.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.