The Pirates are set to select the contract of right-handed reliever Montana DuRapau, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports (via Twitter). It’ll be the MLB debut for the former 32nd-round pick when he first takes the mound for the Buccos.
DuRapau, 27, will add a fresh arm to the Pirates’ bullpen for their upcoming series against the division-rival Cardinals (and will also continue the storied lineage of Bucco relievers with 80-grade names, following in the footsteps of Arquimedes Caminero and Dovydas Neverauskas). The righty enjoyed a terrific 2017 season between Double-A and Triple-A in the Pirates organization before stumbling between those same two levels last season when posted a combined ERA north of 5.00.
This year, he’s off to a fantastic start in Triple-A, having yielded just one earned run on five hits and five walks (one intentional) with 18 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings of work. DuRapau has been a pronounced fly-ball pitcher in each of his first two seasons in the upper minors but has worked to an above-average 46.4 percent ground-ball rate thus far in the 2019 campaign as well. Missing bats has never been much of an issue for DuRapau, as evidenced by his career 9.9 K/9 mark in Double-A and an even more impressive 11.4 K/9 in Triple-A.
The Pirates will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster for DuRapau. Depending on when they feel Lonnie Chisenhall will be ready to go out on a minor league rehab assignment, they could just transfer him to the 60-day injured list, as he’s already been on the 10-day IL for a span of 44 days (and a move to the 60-day would not require resetting him back at one). He’s still not quite ready to run the bases, per MLB.com’s Adam Berry, so he’s a logical candidate for that type of move.
Excellent name.
Sounds like an alias Dennis might have given Dee or used himself on Always Sunny.
I think I dated her in High School…..
“That’s the worst name I ever heard.” – Moe Szyslak
Hey. Joey Joe Joe
Joke of an org.
Your mom.
When I saw the word “Bucco” I first thought of Artie in the Sopranos
Where have you gone Montana DuRapau? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Woo woo woo
This guy cannot be any worse than Michael Feliz.
Hurdle deserves to be fired after leaving him in too long today.
Absolutely. He sacrificed a game because he didn’t want to use one “resting” reliever for just one out. Three straight walks?
Time for him to go
Time for go to bed.
That’s what happens when you have 2 consecutive starters who don’t or can’t pitch more than 4 innings. Heck, Brault has never been able to last more than 4 innings per start, I don’t know what they were expecting to happen. Feliz is usually terrible and definitely shouldn’t be pitching in consecutive days in close games. They set themselves up for this by not having adequate starting pitching depth.
I guess Indiana Jones’ long-lost children are starting to crawl out of the woodwork?
Feliz replacement who replaces brault as the guy who only pitches in a mop up role. I don’t understand why they don’t sign Ervin Santana unless they plan on Brault king ham combo starting next month while Jameson hurt
Santana probably want another five mill for four games or whatever.
Has to be a better pitcher than Neverauskas.
They keep bringing him back and never ask us.
You don’t understand why they won’t sign Ervin Sanatana, or any other pitchers out there, even the decent relatively inexpensive ones like Jim Johnson?
Answer- Bargain Bob Nutting, tightwad owner of the team.
Good luck Montana DuRapau, We Pirates fans need you!
First 20000 fans at DuRupau’s first game should get Hannah Montana wigs.