Keller 'going out with same mentality' despite lack of run support in starts

PITTSBURGH -- Mitch Keller has learned over his seven-year Major League career to not look up at the scoreboard. As he explained it Sunday, if he took a peek at the board and reaffirmed that he has a 10-run lead, he could ease off the gas, which leads to its own set of problems.

That specific scenario hasn’t happened for him this season. In fact, the offense has struggled to produce anything when he’s on the mound. Sunday at PNC Park marked his third straight start in which he did not get a run of support when he was on the mound. A late Pittsburgh rally was enough to get the game to extra innings and get him off the hook for the loss, but the Pirates would end up losing to the Guardians, 5-4 in 10 innings, cementing the second time they were swept in a series this season.

The Pirates’ offensive woes are evident. Their originally planned right side of the infield (second baseman Nick Gonzales and first baseman Spencer Horwitz) is on the injured list (Horwitz is making the trip down to extended Spring Training to get some buildup before his rehab assignment), but the issues extend beyond being down just two starters. The Pirates’ .206 team batting average is the worst in the National League, as is their .320 slugging percentage and .608 OPS.

It’s been a struggle to produce anything, especially early. They’ve scored just 42 runs between the first and sixth innings through their 23 games (an average of 1.8 per game). They’re hitting just .204 against starting pitchers (3.9 hits per game, on average) with a 5:1.8 K to walk ratio.

“We have to have better at-bats earlier in the game,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Don't have any answer for why that's not the case right now. I thought we hit some balls hard early that didn't fall.”

That applies even more on Keller’s bump days. His pitch count was quickly elevated on Sunday, limiting him to just five innings with a two-run Steven Kwan homer as the only blemish on his ledger. Over his last three outings, he’s allowed just five runs over 18 1/3 innings (2.45 ERA). He hasn’t had any support from the hitters in a stretch where he realistically could have had two or three wins.

“I would guess there's frustration when you're going out and pitching [and not getting support], but I don't think we've seen that in any stretch or how he's changed how he's pitching,” Shelton said. “That's a credit to him. He is a pro. He's taking care of his job and letting everybody else take care of those. Any pitcher that pitches and they don't get run support, there's probably some frustration there. I think credit to Mitch, he's not letting any of that show.”

"Any time you go out there, you're trying to act like any run is the most important run you're going to give up,” Keller said. “So, ideally, every time I go out there, I'm thinking it's a 0-0 ballgame, every single time. Whether we're putting up 10, or putting up zero, I'm going out there with the same mentality every single time.”

Starting pitching was supposed to be the strength of this team. A group of five pitchers that would come in early, shove and hand the ball over to the bullpen with a lead. For the most part, the four established starters in the rotation (Keller, Paul Skenes, Andrew Heaney and Bailey Falter) have done their part. It’s hard to exit with a lead without much run support, though.

And as the Pirates stare down a six-game road trip in Los Angeles with their 8-15 record, they’re going to need to find a way to get back to that original gameplan sooner before the schedule really ramps up.

“It's a really good opportunity for us to turn things around,” Keller said. “We can get some really good momentum if we can win both of these series, win the road trip. That would be huge for our confidence, and for the team. Coming back from a good road trip, and have a good homestand. We're trying to win every single series and I think these two coming up are really big for our team. There's no doubt in my mind that we can do it."