The Pirates announced Monday that they’ve placed righty Chad Kuhl on the Covid-19-related injured list and selected the contract of right-hander Shea Spitzbarth in a corresponding move.
Kuhl, 28, tested positive for Covid-19, per the Pirates, so he’ll be sidelined a minimum of 10 days under this year’s health and safety protocols. The right-hander has been a serviceable back-end starter for the Bucs, pitching to a 4.43 ERA in 67 innings this year. However, he’s also averaged fewer than five innings per outing while posting sub-par strikeout and walk percentages (20.1 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively).
The 26-year-old Spitzbarth will make his MLB debut the first time he gets into a game with the Pirates. He’d spent his entire pro career with the Dodgers prior to the 2021 season, having joined the organization as a nondrafted free agent back in 2015. Generally speaking, he’s struggled in the upper minors — at least until the 2021 season. This year, Spitzbarth has pitched to a 1.41 ERA through 32 innings of relief work. Other metrics aren’t as bullish, as evidenced by a 4.42 FIP and 5.09 xFIP. Spitzbarth has benefited from a .202 average on balls in play and a 90.9 percent strand rate so far in Triple-A. Nevertheless, he’ll get his first look in the big leagues more than six years after first signing.
Also of note, manager Derek Shelton revealed to reporters that left-hander Steven Brault is expected to start tomorrow’s game for the Pirates (Twitter link via Mike Persak of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). The 29-year-old Brault hasn’t pitched yet in 2021 owing to a forearm strain suffered late in Spring Training. At the time, it was announced that he’d be shut down at least a month and could miss as much as 12 weeks with the injury, but the timetable proved even lengthier than that.
Brault has spent the past several weeks on a minor league rehab assignment, pitching a total of 12 innings between Class-A and Triple-A as he’s begun to build up for a return to the Pirates. He’s tossed four innings in each of his past two outings, totaling 58 and 56 pitches in that pair of starts (and allowing just one earned run). He’s unlikely to jump from that point to 90-100 pitches in a single outing, but he could give the Pirates four or five innings if he’s reasonably efficient tomorrow.
Elite name
Royals, circa Splittorff through Saberhagen & Gubicza
here’s their top 20 in career wins. I mean, really. It’s like they did that on purpose.
1. Paul Splittorff 166
2. Dennis Leonard 144
3. Mark Gubicza 132
4. Kevin Appier 115
5. Larry Gura 111
6. Bret Saberhagen 110
7. Tom Gordon 79
8. Charlie Leibrandt 76
9. Steve Busby 70
Al Fitzmorris 70
11. Danny Duffy 68
12. Dick Drago 61
13. Zack Greinke 60
14. Bud Black 56
15. Dan Quisenberry 51
16. Doug Bird 49
17. Bruce Chen 47
18. Luke Hochevar 46
19. Jeff Montgomery
Although Pirates totally lead in nouns of various kinds :
Law, Friend, Face, Hall, Veal(e), Walk, Moose, McBean (son of Bean)
Lamb
Alley
yeah, I TOTALLY whiffed on Gene Alley
File that under the category of who really cares.
“Another one buys a toaster” – Ricky
I remember the SpitzBarth that happened after drinking warm Piels Golden Anniversary in a can. I should have known when it was $4.99 for a 24 pack.
This is big.
Do they reset Covid percentages if trade deadline moves drops a team below the vaccine threshold?
wonder if Brault was purposely out until after the deadline… probably coincidence but seems odd with in a week after the deadline hes back. and of course the off season projected him as one of the higher trade chips. He was pretty good last year.. not like allstar caliber just good.
Anyway.. Glad to see Brault back in action soon.
Had to be coincidence, zero chance he wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. No one actually wants to stay in Pittsburgh.
Some people do…. not a lot but some. IIRC Walker and Cutch both would’ve preferred to stay since they’re permanent homes are in the area.
Money though has a large say in that too. Brault doesn’t really matter where he goes right now he’d be paid the same.
Shea Spitzbarth, a name Daffy Duck would love to say three times fast.
How would you say his last name Shea Spits-bar-ith? Either way, makes me want to tune in on the radio to hear the announcers call his name out. My kids would love it at least