The growth and success Bryan Reynolds as experienced has been one of the silver linings behind the dark cloud of an injury-riddled season for the Pirates.
Reynolds entered Sunday’s 4-2 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers on a 10-game hitting streak and extended it to 11 games with two hits in four at-bats. Reynolds is 17 for 40 in the streak with two doubles, a triple, two homers and eight RBIs.
“He has been a great addition to our team,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “He has continued to find ways to contribute. He’s a steady guy with a slow heartbeat. He doesn’t seek attention or spotlight.”
Shortstop Cole Tucker’s winning home run against the San Francisco Giants in his first big league game overshadowed Reynolds’ debut April 20. He went 1 for 2 and played in center field as Starling Marte went to the injured list. Injuries to fellow outfielders Lonnie Chisenhall, Corey Dickerson and Gregory Polanco forced the Pirates to bring up Reynolds earlier than he or the team anticipated.
“I didn’t exactly expect to be here in April. I was hoping to get up here at some point,” Reynolds told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It’s hard to say that you don’t expect it because it’s like you’re rooting against yourself, but it’s kinda crazy if you think about everything that’s happened.”
His .350 batting average leads all National League rookies, and his .409 on-base percentage also was the best among rookies. Reynolds has a hit in 26 of his 30 starts with 39 hits in 114 at-bats. He also has shown versatility by being able to play the corner outfield spots and center field.
The phrase small sample size is continuously said in baseball circles to remind observers to be patient in their evaluation of a player. However, Reynolds is rapidly pushing past that point, and with that comes adjustments. He has noticed pitchers adjusting to his hot start by throwing him more off-speed pitches earlier in his at-bat. Hurdle often says athletes are judged by how they adapt to the adjustments against them. Reynolds responded by reaching base safely 18 consecutive games from May 16 through June 2.
“I feel like I got some hits off some sliders and changeups on the first pitch,” Reynolds said. “On this level, you learn that you can’t let good pitches go. If you do let a good pitch go that might be the only one you get in that at-bat. You have to take advantage of any opportunity you get on this level.”
Reynolds extended his hitting streak in the fifth inning Sunday with a two-out single off a first-pitch 76.1 mph curveball from Brewers starter Zach Davies.
“He’s a good hitter and he pays attention,” Hurdle said. “He’s seeing new guys and he’s looking for things early. He hit two balls off the end of the bat in 0-2 counts in his first two at-bats. Bryan picked up some information along the way and was able to connect on him a couple of times.”
Reynolds hit a double to left-center field off Davies to leadoff the eighth inning on an 86 mph cutter.
“He pays attention and that allows him to adjust his approach,” Hurdle said. “That’s why he’s been able to have some early success up here.”
Hartlieb still learning
Saturday’s 12-10 extra-inning loss presented a lot of highs and lows for the Pirates. One high that got somewhat lost in the chaotic game was Geoff Hartlieb’s two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. The Pirates were down by one-run after Christian Yelich’s three-run home run in the sixth off Francisco Liriano.
Hartlieb came into the outing having given up seven runs on seven hits Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds. The rough outing included two home runs and followed another tough appearance May 24 where he gave up three runs on five hits and a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“It’s been about a lot of transitioning to this level,” Hartlieb said. “On this level, the hitters will make you pay for mistakes. Every pitch has to be well executed up here because the hitters are too good. I’ve been having a lot of conversations with our coaches and other guys on the pitching staff. They’ve been reminding me that just because a pitch gets guys out in the minors that don’t mean it’ll work here. Once you have that knowledge and the confidence that you can get guys out at this level things get easier.”
Hartlieb’s inning didn’t start easy as he walked Keston Hiura and Hernan Perez with one out in the seventh. Hartlieb was unfazed. “Honestly, not much went through my mind at that point. I felt I was putting the ball where I wanted to even with the walks. I was missing by a small margin. Obviously, it becomes more pressure-packed when you put runners on. But I felt that I could make enough pitches to finish the inning.”
Hartlieb was right. He retired the next two hitters and then struck out the side in the eighth. “It gives me confidence going forward,” he said. “It shows the kind of stuff I can do in the big leagues. It’s all about getting the reps and building on that experience.”
Rich Rod back?
The struggles of Richard Rodriguez have been well-chronicled in 2019. He surrendered his ninth home run of the season Thursday, after giving up only five all of 2018, and had allowed 14 runs and in 22 appearances before the Pirates sent him to Class AAA Indianapolis May 16.
‘I noticed that when things weren’t going well that it affected my concentration and it would impact my confidence,” Rodriguez said through interpreter Mike Gonzalez. “I started to be too concerned about runs coming in and getting scored on. I didn’t want to let my teammates down by failing in those situations. I’m grateful for the team sending me down to [Class AAA]. I was able to clear my mind, and that opportunity has had a huge effect on me.”
Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth inning Sunday with the Pirates down, 4-2.
‘It feels good to go out and pitch well,” he said. “I feel like I’m regaining my confidence. Being confident is a huge part of my personality on the mound. I know this season hasn’t looked like last season, however I feel like the confidence is coming back. I feel like I’m gathering myself.”
Rodriguez also noted a slight change in his arm angle on his pitches and felt it wasn’t allowing him to execute properly. He made an adjustment Sunday, and him regaining his 2018 form would give the Pirates more options in the bullpen.
Nubyjas Wilborn: nwilborn19@post-gazette.com Twitter: @nwilborn19.
First Published: June 2, 2019, 10:21 p.m.