BRADENTON, Fla. — Joe Musgrove wasn't quite ready to say goodbye. After attending the Astros' annual FanFest, the right-handed pitcher was waiting to board his plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston to return home.
The event made Musgrove excited that the club's World Series defense would begin in less than three months and seeing those fans conjured up memories of the championship celebration, which meant so much to a city ravaged by Hurricane Harvey.
Then, he heard the news he, along with three others, had been traded to the Pirates in exchange for Gerrit Cole.
"I was shocked at first," Musgrove, who has yet to pitch in a spring training game because of right shoulder discomfort, told DKPittsburghSports.com. "It was difficult. Then I got excited because of the opportunity."
That opportunity is a spot in the Pirates' rotation. He excelled as a late-inning reliever during the second half of last season. However, Musgrove is determined to prove the experience taught him what it takes to excel as a starting pitcher.
The Pirates, who are now 0-4 in Grapefruit League play after a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday in Fort Myers, Fla, are going to see if that's the case.
"I was fortunate to get that late-inning role with Houston so every time I was in there it was a high-leverage situation. The game was on the line, so I started getting more and more comfortable being in uncomfortable situations," Musgrove said. "I learned myself. I learned what I needed to get ready, what I needed to do to get in the right mindset before I go out there. A lot of it is reacting to what’s in front of you."
That's one facet Musgrove struggled with when he was in the Astros' rotation at the start of last season. The 25-year-old was keenly aware of the situation. Sure, he won a spot in the rotation out of spring training, but the organization had options it could turn to if he failed.
So, when adversity struck, Musgrove often panicked. One mistake would snowball, leading to short, ugly outings. Musgrove, a first-round draft pick of the Blue Jays in 2011, had a 6.12 ERA in 15 starts for the Astros. Opponents batted .306 against him with a .356 on-base percentage during that span.
"I didn’t do a very good job of slowing the game down and really analyzing what adjustments needed to be made or figuring out the adjustments game-to-game," Musgrove said. "I think I was pressing a little bit. There was little bit of concern losing that rotation spot and ultimately you don’t want to let your teammates down."
The Astros, equipped with arguably the best lineup in the American League, lost patience with Musgrove. He was demoted to Triple-A on June 24 and was recalled after only one start. But his impressive outing for Fresno didn't translate to the major leagues.
Musgrove allowed eight runs in 10 2/3 innings upon his return to Houston before he was sent to the bullpen. For the next three months, Musgrove examined what he did wrong as a starter and spent time learning from the club's veteran starters, particularly Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton.
Morton advised him to simplify his routine before games, specifically how to stretch and get warm. Also, instead of throwing all six of his pitches — four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, cutter, slider, changeup and curve — Musgrove decided to lean on his three fastballs and slider.
The result: Musgrove had a 1.44 ERA with 31 strikeouts and only five walks in 31 1/3 innings as a late-inning reliever during the regular season. Opponents batted just .195 against him with a .244 on-base percentage. His ground-ball rate increased, and his xFIP as a reliever was 3.21.
Despite allowing six runs in 6 2/3 during the postseason, the Pirates' front office and coaching staff expressed confidence the 6-foot-5 former top prospect figured out what ailed him as a starter.
"One of the biggest things is he started before," pitching coach Ray Searage said. "He has the age, he has the height, he has the stuff to be a starter. The biggest thing we have to do is help him get through that valley that he’s going to hit at a certain time. He’s gonna hit it. As sure as I’m standing here talking to you, he’s going to hit it, so we might have to give him a blow at a halfway point of the season."
Both Clint Hurdle and Neal Huntington told reporters this spring Musgrove is expected to take the rotation spot vacated with Cole gone, but much needs to be decided before opening day March 29. Health aside, Musgrove must start to feel comfortable with his arsenal of pitches.
Although he plans to use all six, he's going to spend the next four weeks deciding which four he'll lean on. Film study of National League Central opponents, as well as feedback from the coaching staff and Francisco Cervelli, will factor into that decision.
More importantly, Musgrove's focus will be on fastball command. After all, that is what made him so effective as a reliever and during his ascent through the minor leagues.
Of the 132 pitchers who faced at least 400 batters last season, Musgrove threw the fourth-highest percentage of strikes at 68.3 percent. But the Pirates are emphasizing quality over quantity.
"Purposeful balls, well-placed pitches outside of the strike zone because he’s got command, and he’s a guy — there’s probably a handful of guys we’ve talked to this spring — that it’s the quality of the strikes versus the volume of strikes," Hurdle said. "Sometimes guys throw a lot of strikes, but the quality isn’t what we’d like or what they’d like and need. You talk about purposeful balls, pitching off the plate at times. Pitching just outside the strike zone, whether it be in, out, up or down."
GAME NOTES
• Chad Kuhl, who started for the Pirates on Wednesday against the Red Sox, did not allow a hit in two scoreless innings. Trevor Williams, Damien Magnifico, Tyler Jones, Josh Smoker, Edgar Santana, Kyle Crick and Casey Sadler also pitched for the Pirates.
Williams allowed one run on two hits in 2/3 innings, and Crick, whom the Pirates acquired from the Giants in the Andrew McCutchen trade, gave up two runs on three hits in the seventh to allow the Red Sox to take a 4-3 lead.
• Gregory Polanco, who went 1 for 3, was stranded at third base in the first inning after he doubled and advanced on a throwing error. The Pirates are 10 for 57 with runners in scoring position this spring.
• Starling Marte went 1 for 3 with an RBI and run, driving in Sean Rodriguez with a single in the top of the third. Rodriguez and Josh Bell also drove in a run apiece.
• Bryce Brentz, who is in competition to be the club's fourth outfielder, robbed Blake Swihart of a hit in the second inning by making a leaping grab at JetBlue Park's "Big Green Monster" in left field. Brentz is out of minor league options and is hitless in nine at-bats this spring.
• Kevin Kramer hit a one-out triple in the top of the seventh, but Todd Cunningham and Pablo Reyes both flied out to strand Kramer at third. Kramer is now 3 for 6 this spring with a double, triple, home run and two walks.
• Here’s Hurdle’s lineup card:
1. Sean Rodriguez, SS
2. Gregory Polanco, RF
3. Starling Marte, CF
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Jose Osuna, 3B
6. Bryce Brentz, LF
7. Elias Diaz, C
8. Ryan Lavarnway, DH
9. Kevin Newman, 2B
• The Pirates will host the Blue Jays at Lecom Park on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. Nick Kingham is expected to start with J.A. Happ taking the mound for Toronto. Felipe Rivero, Michael Feliz, Clay Holmes, Dovydas Neverauskas and John Stilson are also expected to pitch for the Pirates.