Pirates' Don Kelly liked how former All-Star 'battled and grinded'
The Pittsburgh Pirates didn't receive a great pitching performance from Mitch Keller, but manager Don Kelly liked how he "battled and grinded" against the Washington Nationals.
Pirates' Don Kelly liked how former All-Star 'battled and grinded' originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller has been great to start the season, but he struggled against a young Washington Nationals team on Tuesday.
Manager Don Kelly was happy with Keller’s performance despite the 30-year-old not sticking around long. Pirates manager Don Kelly liked how Mitch Keller “battled and grinded” against the Washington Nationals “I mean, you know, with Mitch didn't from the beginning, didn't have the sharp command, but battled and grinded, and, you know, got, got through four innings when early on, I mean, didn't look, you could tell from the beginning, it wasn't as sharp as he's been,” Kelly said to SportsNet Pittsburgh . “And to be able to make the pick off, be able to strike that guy out throw him out in the first sitting, and then for him to battle through battle through four, keep it right where his at I mean there it could have gotten even worse there even in the first inning, give us a chance and then the way the offense battle.
” Through four innings, the former All-Star (2023) allowed six hits, five earned runs, walked five, and struck out three. Outside of Keller’s start, the Pirates' homegrown starting rotation has proven to be the fourth-best in Major League Baseball (3. 06 starters’ ERA).
More News: Braves lefty elects free agency, leaving two rookies to fill the void The Pirates' starting rotation is homegrown: Keller in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft, right-handers Paul Skenes drafted first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Bubba Chandler drafted in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Braxton Ashcraft drafted in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and Carmen Mlodzinski drafted in the 2020 MLB Draft. More News: Braves lefty elects free agency, leaving two rookies to fill the void Braves continue to cycle through arms as the pitching staff heals Mets owner Steve Cohen tries to stay positive amid 7-game skid Angels recall 24-year-old lefty from AAA amid Yankees series