It’s possible Jack Suwinski wasn’t supposed to be in the majors this long.
Back on April 26, Suwinski and utility man Tucupita Marcano hopped in a rental car and drove two hours from Akron, Oh., to Pittsburgh, where they joined the roster on short notice, with Bryan Reynolds and Cole Tucker suddenly placed on the COVID-19 injured list.
Suwinski never left. There have been times when it’s looked ugly, with his average dropping to .167 in late May, but the Pirates stuck by Suwinski. At different times, he’s made that decision by the Pirates look like a good one. That’s never been more true than it was Saturday, in a 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Pirates’ offense had been dominated all afternoon, shutout through eight innings by Arizona starter Zach Davies and reliever Ian Kennedy. In the ninth, Suwinski got the chance to change it all.
After Reynolds led off the inning with a single against veteran closer Mark Melancon, Suwinski looked like a veteran himself. He worked a full count, fouling off several pitches and just hanging in there. Finally, on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Melancon left a curveball in the bottom of the strike zone. Suwinski was ready for it and golfed it high and deep to right, over the Clemente Wall to send PNC Park into hysterics and give the Pirates their fourth win in the last five games.
“It was awesome. Cool experience. That's the stuff you think about playing Wiffle ball in your backyard,” Suwinski said. “That's my first time doing that, so it was pretty cool. Pretty special.”
The way the Pirates have won recently, with different rookies getting the chance to perform each night, has brought excitement. Suwinski wasn’t the only rookie to do it Saturday. Starting right-hander Roansy Contreras was dominant in his own right, matching Davies step for step.
The rookie right-hander, and the Pirates’ No. 6-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, has already made a strong impression this season, entering Saturday’s start with a 2.55 ERA in 17 2/3 innings this season. He’s set a bar high enough that the only way to top it is to dominate over and over again.
By the end of Saturday’s first inning, it was clear he had his best stuff.
He came out dealing, striking out the first two Diamondbacks he faced swinging. He allowed a double to Ketel Marte after that, but ended the frame with another swinging strikeout to set the tone for the afternoon.
One of Contreras’ more impressive assets, though, has been his ability to bounce back from strife. It’s an attribute that can be rare, especially among young pitchers.
It showed itself Saturday because he certainly wasn’t faultless. Contreras let a pair of baserunners on in the second and another in the fifth but bounced back to end both innings with no damage done.
Things finally got dicey in the sixth. Marte doubled again with one out, then Christian Walker reached on a throwing error from shortstop Rodolfo Castro. Contreras nearly got out of it with a strikeout before Jordan Luplow stepped in. Over a 10-pitch at-bat, the two battled, with the former pumping 96 mile-per-hour fastballs over the plate and the latter fighting them off, working the count full.
Contreras blinked first, uncorking a slider in the dirt that slid past catcher Michael Perez. Not only did Luplow reach base, but the runner from third came in to score. It was a dour note to end another stellar outing, though, one which showcased Contreras’ talent and mental fortitude.
“I’m the type of pitcher that no matter the situation, if the game’s getting quick on me or if I’m finding myself in a challenging moment, I try to keep myself calm and not allow my mindset to travel somewhere it shouldn’t go,” Contreras said through team translator Mike Gonzalez. “I try to maintain a strong mindset, try to execute better pitches. If I gotta make an adjustment, do it right away, but I don’t allow my mindset to travel to a place that it shouldn’t go.”
These have been good days for the Pirates. It isn’t just that the team has won more over the last week, it’s that players who could conceivably be part of the future are helping make it happen. Marcano hit homers in back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week. Rodolfo Castro basically took over a game on his own Wednesday. Contreras has been rock solid so far and did it again against the Diamondbacks.
But on Saturday, it was Suwinski’s time to shine.
Saturday was also Faith Night at PNC Park, with an on-field celebration of faith following the game. To begin that event, each Pirate in attendance introduced themselves. Suwinski was there, and when he took the microphone to introduce himself to the crowd, he got another huge ovation. Though it paled in comparison to the one he got in the ninth inning, it’s an example of the impression he’s making with his best moments, increasing in frequency and crescendoing to Saturday.
In April, he was a surprise roster addition in a tough spot. Now, he’s become a mainstay on a major league roster, one who has now experienced a moment he’ll always remember.
“I'm super thankful and grateful for them to give me the opportunity in the first place and then to let me stick around long enough to get comfortable and make adjustments and see what kind of player I am at the big league level,” Suwinski said. “Obviously I have confidence in myself, and I have had a lot of time adjusting, readjusting, trying new things, but everyone here's been super helpful and giving me their advice and their help, teaching me and just giving me feedback from their point of view.”
Mike Persak: mpersak@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDPersak
First Published: June 4, 2022, 11:06 p.m.
Updated: June 5, 2022, 1:18 a.m.
