Pirates Have New Answer in Middle Relief
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have searched for anyone in the bullpen to take advantage of the opportunities given to them and one rookie has surely made the most of them.
Right-handed relief pitcher Wilber Dotel threw three scoreless innings of relief for the Pirates from the sixth inning through the eighth inning, allowing them to mount a comeback and win 6-5 against the Minnesota Twins in the series opener at PNC Park on May 29.
Dotel was almost perfect those three innings, aside from a double he gave up, with no other baserunners allowed and four strikeouts, with 27 of his 38 pitches strikes.
It was a big moment for the 23-year old, who is making a case for staying in the Pirates bullpen for the remainder of the season.
What Made Dotel So Dominant vs. Twins
The Twins really couldn't get much of anything off of Dotel, with only a two-out double from second baseman Luke Keaschall the sole hard hit ball he gave up.
Dotel excelled in his most recent outing vs. the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on May 25, which he also threw three scoreless innings of relief in, by relying less on the four-seam fastball and using his offspeed pitches more, like his slider and changeup, plus his cutter too.
Using his four pitches ended up making his fastball more dangerous, averaging 99.3 mph on it and posting two of his four strikeouts. He also got three whiffs on five swings on his cutter with a strikeout and added another strikeout on his slider
Pitch | Usage | Average Velocity |
|---|---|---|
Four-Seam Fastball | 16/38 (42%) | 99.3 mph |
Slider | 9/38 (24%) | 89.3 mph |
Cutter | 8/38 (21%) | 92.6 mph |
Changeup | 5/38 (13%) | 88.6 mph |
Even more vital to his success was how he located his pitches against the Twins, something he had focused on prior.
"Location. Pitch location for sure," Dotel said through interpreter Stephen Morales. "That's one of the things that we were working on in the bullpen before the game. So that was the mentality when I got on the mound - pitch location.
Dotel Now the Pirates Answer in Middle Relief
The Pirates bullpen has had a rough month of May, with a 4.66 ERA and a few games that they've not finished well in, leading to losses this team can't take if they want to fulfill their playoff aspirations.
Dotel has been fantastic in his two stints this season, posting a 1.32 ERA over six outings and 13.2 innings pitched, 14 strikeouts to three walks, a .146 batting average allowed (BAA) and a 0.73 WHIP.
It's even more impressive considering that Dotel has spent little time in this relief role, starting 85 of 101 games in his minor league career.
He's not only performing well in this role, but showing that he's loving it as well, displaying no timidity in his pitching and looking like a veteran on the mound.
"Yeah, my mentality is just to treat it as nothing different," Dotel said. :When I'm on the mound, I attack hitters, attack the strike zone. I see no difference. That's my mentality right now.
The Pirates now have an improved bullpen with Dotel, but also with Carmen Mlodzinski returning and able to serve a similar role as Dotel.
Dotel's also played a huge role in his last two outings for the Pirates, shutting down the Cubs in the 2-1 victory, a tough spot for a rookie, and then allowing the Pirates a chance to win late on vs. the Twins, which they took.
Pirates fans are now quickly aware of Dotel and the presence and work he provides on the mound, making him a key part of a team that could achieve something special this season.
"It feels really good actually," Dotel said on his time with the Pirates. "That's why we work the way we do in the minors, to become a big league pitcher and prepare ourselves for situations like this. I feel good again."
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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.