Notes: Bad Week; Mitch the Man; Moves, Injuries, News

Welcome to the roller coaster...

Notes:

• Pittsburgh came home and dropped 2-of-3 to the Rox; only Mitch Keller's shutout prevented yet another sweep. Not much shakin' at Baltimore's Camden Yards, either. Once again, the only thing between the Buccos and the deep blue sea was another Keller gem (seven shutout innings this time). The Pirates have lost 11 of the last 13 matches, and scored three runs or fewer in 12 of those games (if you're counting, 22 runs in 13 games).
• Pirates stopper...and ace in the making? - Mitch Keller tossed a four-hit, eight K complete-game shutout against Colorado on Monday and came back with a seven-inning, four-hit, 13 K shutout of Baltimore on Sunday to earn Pittsburgh's two wins for the week. Kell became the first Pirates pitcher with 13 strikeouts, no walks and no runs allowed in an outing in the Live-Ball Era (since 1920) per ESPN Stats.

Mitch Keller - 2022 Topps

• The Pirates brought up IF Chris Owings, 31, who has logged time w/the D-Backs, Royals, Red Sox, Rockies and Orioles in 10 seasons, posting a .240 career BA. He was a late cut at camp. 2B Mark Mathias was optioned back to Indy and RHP Luis Ortiz was added to the taxi squad, answering the "who starts Tuesday" question. The next day, they activated Ortiz, called up OF Josh Palacios, a minor league Rule 5 pick from Washington who's tearing it up at Indy, DFA'ed RHP Chase De Jong, who went Jekyll and Hyde on the Bucs, and recently recalled reliever Cody Bolton was optioned back to AAA. De Jong cleared waivers and was assigned to Indy.
• The Pirates expect RHP Vince Velasquez's elbow injury to be short-term; VV is already throwing live BP. LHP Rob Zastryzny (elbow) also is throwing live BP; they hope to start his rehab assignment next week. SS Oneil Cruz (ankle) is still booted and on the original four-month recovery schedule. RHP Wil Crowe (shoulder) is on a no-throw regimen after getting a PRP shot; he's on the 60-day IL and out until at least the end of June.
• IF Jared Triolo (hammate) is back and has joined Indy after a week of rehab at Bradenton. OF Travis Swaggerty (viral illness) is expected to return to action later this month. RHP Blake Cederlind (2021 TJ surgery) began a Bradenton rehab assignment. RHP Max Kranick (2022 TJ surgery) is moving ahead, throwing a couple of bullpens per week after starting off on flat ground.
• The WPIAL reached a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a sponsor for baseball and softball championships.
• RHP James Marvel, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Rangers. He started four games in 2019 for  the Pirates, was off during the '20 Covid shutdown, worked at Indy in '21 and was in the Philly system last year.