How Pittsburgh Pirates’ youngster Tyler Glasnow reacted to his first spring start of the season was almost as important as the results.
While Glasnow still has plans to be a starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, he is buying into the fact that he can get back potentially being one of the Pirates top starting pitchers in the future by performing well in the bullpen this season.
Last week’s trade that sent Daniel Hudson out the door for Corey Dickerson all but assures Glasnow a spot in the Bucs’ bullpen on Opening Day as a swingman, something The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel all but confirmed.
ICYMI: “It was realizing the best pitchers are the ones who compete the most. Those guys are just animals. I knew I could be that person.” https://t.co/bEFF2s7Th5
— Rob Biertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) February 26, 2018
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What can make Glasnow excel as a starter compared to his initial promotions to the big leagues where he posted a combined 6.75 ERA and 1.875 WHIP in 22 career outings (17 starts)?
It’s all about confidence and being able to take the ball and execute his pitches in the fashion he did in Triple-A.
Glasnow has to show the mentality, whether it be out of the pen or as a starter, that he is better than most pitchers. His stuff says he is. He just has to back up that stuff.
He showed a little bit of that on Sunday against the Tigers.
Encouraging Spring Debut
After reworking his delivery after his demotion last season, Glasnow is back hitting 100 MPH with his fastball, something he did a couple of times on Sunday.
He struck out Miguel Cabrera looking and looked phenomenal in the first inning.
“That first inning was about as good as I’ve ever seen him,” Pirates catcher Jacob Stallings told the Tribune Review’s Kevin Gorman “He was lights out.”
The second inning followed a more traditional Glasnow path, where he gave up a couple of extra-base hits, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.
But the impressive part of that for me was the way he worked out of the inning and the way he still looked confident throwing his pitches despite guys on base.
He threw the change up a lot in the second inning and it looked rusty. Nothing to be concerned about there.
Despite the two runs and two extra-base hits, it was an encouraging two innings for Glasnow, who threw 22 of his 35 pitches for strikes.
“It’s as good as I’ve seen him, probably ever,” Stallings told MLB.com’s Adam Berry. “Not only was his stuff electric, but he was throwing it all for strikes.”
Can he do it consistently?
Glasnow is likely penciled in as a reliever to start the season, but don’t rule out a return to the rotation.
The Bucs didn’t have to use a lot of starters last season, but that is rare.
Injuries happen. Joe Musgrove is already dealing with a shoulder issue.
Struggles happen. Glasnow’s struggles last season ultimately led to Trevor Williams being moved from the bullpen to the rotation where he pitched very well.
When the Pirates need a sixth starter this season, Glasnow will join the likes of Steven Brault and Nick Kingham as guys Clint Hurdle will turn to first.
A solid showing to start the year in the bullpen can only help his chances to work his way back into the starting rotation, something Glasnow seems to realize.
“Last year what I realized in Triple-A is if I just take every inning like a reliever, I’m good to go,” Glasnow told Berry. “I just need to take it one step at a time. … I’m kind of just in that mentality right now.”
That’s good to hear.
For Glasnow’s sake, and the Pittsburgh Pirates’, let’s hope that mentality turns into success out of the Pirates bullpen to start the season.
If it does, the sky is still the limit for Glasnow.
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