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Pirates add Justin Bruihl to bolster left-handed depth in bullpen

Jerry DiPaola
| Thursday, June 6, 2024 5:45 p.m.
AP
Justin Bruihl struggled with the Rockies last season but had a 2.31 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds’ Triple-A team this season.

Relief pitcher Justin Bruihl has been with four MLB teams in four seasons, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, who added him to the roster Thursday in a quest for left-handed bullpen depth.

He joins Aroldis Chapman as the only left-handed relievers on the team.

Bruihl knows stability is promised to few big-leaguers, but he’s chasing it anyway.

“I haven’t really had a lot of that the last few years,” said Bruihl, who will turn 27 before the end of June. “But just trying to find some stability would be great. Somewhere I can stick.”

Bruihl was available Thursday night for the final game of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. He utilized an opt-out clause in his contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, and the Pirates pounced immediately, he said.

“I think that night, maybe the next morning, the Pirates had an offer in, so it was pretty fast,” he said. “I drove here (from Louisville) two days ago. Kind of kept it a secret.”

Before he opted out of his Reds contract, citing a lack of rich opportunity, he was 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 23 1/3 innings, with 24 strikeouts in 19 appearances for Triple-A Louisville.

Manager Derek Shelton welcomes Bruihl, a pitcher he’s had his eye on since the offseason and whose speciality is getting out left-handed hitters.

“Left on left guy, has the ability to execute a slider, which was important for us,” Shelton said. “When you have the second lefty in there, the ability to execute offspeed left on left is really important or to make people adjust their lineup mid-game and then you end up getting better matchups later in games.

“He has pitched in the big leagues. I mean, he pitched for the Dodgers. He actually opened against us. But I think it was a guy we identified in the offseason, liked a little bit.”

In three seasons with the Dodgers, Colorado Rockies and Reds, Bruihl has allowed a slash line of .190/.240/.240 against left-handed batters that jumps to .296/.391/.504 when hitters stand on the other side of the plate.

“Just come in and get lefties out. I think that’s what I do best,” Bruihl said. “I think that’s what I’m most confident in. I believe in myself and my ability to do that. I think the sinker/slider to lefties plays really well and just going to keep doing that.”

Bruihl had some success with the Dodgers the past three seasons (3.65 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 43 strikeouts and 21 walks in 66 2/3 innings). But he was traded to the Rockies last year, where he struggled to a 14.73 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in only 3 2/3 innings. He joined the Reds as a nonroster invitee in spring training this year.

“I don’t know. I think a lot of unfamiliarity, I guess,” he said of his time with the Rockies. “Trying to do stuff that I wasn’t accustomed to doing with too much change. I think (I am) just trying to get back to what I’ve done in the past with the Dodgers that made me successful.”

To make room for Bruihl on the 40-man roster, the Pirates moved relief pitcher Ryan Borucki from the 15- to 60-day injured list. Also, Quinn Priester was placed on 15-day IL (retro to June 3) with a right lat muscle injury.


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