PITTSBURGH — For the better part of this season, Mitch Keller has performed like an ace. Entering Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park, he had put together back-to-back starts totaling 16 scoreless innings, with one walk and 21 strikeouts during the stretch.
Among National League leaders, Keller ranked third in ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (69), tied for second in quality starts (7), tied for fourth in wins (5) and fourth by himself with a .569 OPS against.
Yet, in the seventh inning against Arizona, having allowed one run in the sixth on a couple of infield singles, Keller wasn’t treated like an ace. Manager Derek Shelton removed Keller after just 84 pitches, and the decision ultimately cost the Pirates during a 4-3 loss.
With the Pirates trying to protect a 3-2 lead, Robert Stephenson entered and coughed up a two-run homer to right fielder Pavin Smith, which pushed the Diamondbacks in front for good. The homer produced just the third and fourth runs scored against Stephenson this season in 11 2/3 innings, but it’s doubtful that will make Shelton, Keller or Pirates fans feel better.
It’s the bullpen’s job to protect leads, and the Pirates — despite having the eighth-lowest bullpen ERA at 3.54 — couldn’t get it done. The bigger question, of course, is this: Why the quick hook with Keller?
The right-hander was coming off his first complete-game shutout two starts ago and seven scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts Sunday in Baltimore. Since May 31, 2022, the date Keller adopted his sinker, only five NL pitchers had a lower ERA than Keller (2.95) coming into this one. In each of his past five starts, now including Saturday, Keller walked one or none and struck out at least eight.
Under Shelton, the Pirates have typically shied away from pitchers facing a lineup the third time, unless that pitcher proves he’s special or can handle the additional work. Keller, by transforming himself into one of MLB’s best starters, has done that, theoretically earning the right to go deeper into games.
Stuff-wise, there was no obvious decline. Keller hit third baseman Josh Rojas, but it was his first and only freebie. The run-scoring hit Keller allowed also wasn’t exactly a rocket.
Facing left fielder Corbin Carroll after second baseman Ketel Marte singled, Keller threw a 2-1 cutter that probably caught a little too much plate.
Tucupita Marcano ranged from shortstop to the second-base side of the bag, dove to knock it down and probably saved a run. Carroll beat out Ji Hwan Bae’s throw for the hit. After Keller recorded a quick third out, that was it.
Stephenson fell into a 3-0 hole against Smith before firing a 95.5-mph fastball that was located down and in. Smith launched it 405 feet out to right-center.
AT THE PLATE
The Pirates’ biggest hit of the afternoon was supplied by Ke’Bryan Hayes, who entered the series batting just .228 with 10 RBIs. Hayes cleared the bases with a triple in the third inning.
Coupled with his three-hit, three-RBI performance on Friday, Hayes has matched 60% of his season total in RBIs in two games. He also has three extra-base hits over the past two games, equaling his total from the previous 20 combined.
Hayes got a fastball up and out over the plate and drove it to the same spot as Smith did for his homer.
As the Pirates continue their quest to replace Oneil Cruz, there’s arguably no bigger switch they can flip than Hayes, who has dazzled with his glove but obviously hasn’t matched that level of production with the bat. Since the start of 2021, Hayes has produced a collective .668 OPS — which obviously falls well below what you’d want out of a third basemen.
However, it’s been tough to square Hayes’ power numbers with some of the other stuff he’s done this season.
When it comes to average exit velocity — a metric used to determine how hard a player hits balls — Hayes ranked in the 92nd percentile at 92.9 mph prior to Saturday. His whiff percentage (14.7%) sat in the 94th percentile and his strikeout rate (14.6%) was in the 88th.
ON THE MOUND
Keller really settled into a nice groove following a solo homer he gave up to Marte in the first. It came on a hanging curveball that Marte crushed 418 feet to center. But credit to Keller, he retired the next 16 hitters before plunking Rojas.
Of Keller’s eight strikeouts, half came looking. Keller leads all major league pitchers with 34 of those punchouts. Second-best is Gerrit Cole of the Yankees with 23.
Arizona’s Miguel Castro gave the Pirates life by issuing a leadoff walk to Rodolfo Castro in the ninth. However, Bae, Connor Joe and Jason Delay struck out to end the game.
UP NEXT
Roansy Contreras will help the Pirates go for the series victory on Sunday. Pittsburgh’s last series win came in Washington on April 29-30.
