Pirates notebook: Tyler Glasnow sent to minors
Tyler Glasnow was demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday amid a flurry of moves that were as much about relieving the beleaguered bullpen as they were reshaping the rotation.
The Pirates ran out of patience with Glasnow, who over 12 starts went 2-6 with a 7.45 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP. The former top prospect issued a team-high 29 walks in 54 1⁄3 innings.
“There's been games when he's been dominant and there's been games when he's been barreled,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It's all part of the learning process.”
Glasnow's departure opens a rotation spot for Jameson Taillon, who will come off the disabled list Monday and pitch against the Colorado Rockies. That start will come exactly five weeks after Taillon had surgery for testicular cancer.
Reliever Dovydas Neverauskas also was sent down to Indy, and relievers Edgar Santana and A.J. Schugel were called up. To open a spot for Santana on the 40-man roster, Indy reliever Pat Light was designated for assignment.
Right-hander Chad Kuhl, who was supposed to start Monday, will instead pitch Wednesday.
Over the 30 days leading into Saturday's game, the bullpen had worked 101 2⁄3 innings, the second-highest total in the National League. In that same span, Pirates starters ranked ninth in the NL with 147 1⁄3 innings pitched.
“We seem to be in a lull,” Hurdle said. “We're taxing the bullpen with the short starts. (Trevor) Williams and (Ivan) Nova have given us distance. Even with Kuhl's outing the other day, it was five innings and 90-something pitches. (Gerrit) Cole's had two fives and two four-pluses. That part of it has been hard right now.”
Glasnow averaged a mere 4 2⁄3 innings per start. He struggled with command and high pitch counts. On Friday, he finally ramped his fastball into the upper 90s mph, but left balls over the plate.
“It's the areas we've pushed to but haven't been able to push through,” Hurdle said. “The WHIP number is real. Throwing more strikes, but more hard contact. The curveball was a pitch he always had in his back pocket. That has kind of evaporated.”
Hurdle stressed Glasnow is still a part of the Pirates' long-term plans.
“This is delay, not denial,” Hurdle said. “This isn't failure. I told him I believe in him. I believe in him going down, rolling up his sleeves, going to work, getting better and finding his way back.”
Taillon ready to go
Taillon will not have any pitch count or restrictions when he faces the Rockies.
“Physically, mentally, I'm 100 percent,” Taillon said. “I'm as sharp as I've been all year. If anything I had some time to work on things I wanted to get done.”
Taillon made three minor league rehab starts, including a pair with Indy, before being cleared to rejoin the rotation.
“I'm pleased with where I'm at,” he said. “It starts out, you just hope for any good news about when you'll be able to throw. Once you're able to throw, you hope for any good news about getting on the bullpen mound and get ready for a rehab. Truly, that ‘one step at a time' thing really rings true for me. All those steps added up for me and here I am.”
Locke returns
Jeff Locke was jogging on the field Thursday, his first day back at PNC Park in eight months, when he thought he saw Juan Nicasio in front of him. Locke veered over, wanting to surprise his former teammate with a hug.
Then he realized it wasn't Nicasio.
“I kind of ducked away at the last second,” Locke said. “And they guy (reliever Jhan Marinez) was like, ‘What?' ”
A few things have changed since last offseason, when the Pirates chose to not tender Locke a contract, which made him a free agent. He signed a one-year, $3.025 million deal with the Miami Marlins but missed the start of the season due to biceps tendinitis.
On Sunday, Locke will make his second start of the season.
“It's nice to be back (in Pittsburgh), but more importantly, to be back on the mound,” Locke said.
Will it be weird pitching against his former team?
“Sure, I think it will be,” he said. “Some nervous energy, maybe. I'm not doing anything I haven't done before. I've thrown as many games on this mound as anyone else who's here.”
Over six seasons with the Pirates, Locke went 35-38 with a 4.41 ERA. He showed flashes of potential, but management deemed he was no longer worth the investment.
Locke said it took “just a day” for him to put his Pirates career behind him.
“When it was over, it was over,” he said. “I had a good idea it was coming. When it was over, I wanted to get with somebody else as quickly as I could. I didn't want to wait too long.”
