Adam Frazier set his bat down at his locker stall, pulled at the velcro on his gloves and started to get ready for infield practice prior to first pitch at PNC Park on Friday. He had just taken swings in the batting cage and would now try to sharpen his skills at second base.
It's the same routine Frazier has followed since making his debut for the Pirates in June 2016. However, he has a different role after making the opening day roster for a second consecutive year. The 26-year-old is now a full-time bench player, starting only two of the first seven games and appearing in three others as a pinch-hitter after being the team's most-used leadoff hitter last season.
The job presents a number of challenges, but Frazier said the infrequent playing time hasn't bothered him. He expressed excitement over the Pirates' 5-1 start to the season and spoke of wanting to do whatever he can to help the club flourish in 2018.
"I’m in the big leagues," Frazier told DKPittsburghSports.com, smiling. "That’s all you can ask for. If something happens ... to get in there every day, then that’s the way it’s going to be. If not, you embrace your role and contribute any way you can."
Frazier reported to spring training in February to compete for the starting job in left field, only for the Pirates to acquire Corey Dickerson two days after the first full-squad workout. The acquisition thrust Frazier back into a backup role, which isn't new to him.
After all, Frazier was a bench player at the start of last season. But Starling Marte's suspension and various injuries made him an everyday player for much of the year. He started 95 of the 121 games in which he appeared, and appeared in back-to-back games off the bench on only five occasions.
Frazier was one of the bright spots of a disappointing second half for the Pirates. He batted .304 in 54 games following the All-Star break, and his .415 average with runners in scoring position during that span ranked fourth in Major League Baseball. That helped him finish with a slash line of .276/.344/.399, despite batting .181 during a 39-game stretch prior to the break.
Additionally, Frazier was used as a pinch-hitter only 21 times, although he recorded eight hits. With Dickerson set to start in left field, Frazier played a number of different positions this spring and batted .353 in 51 at-bats. It earned him a spot in the starting lineup on opening day, batting leadoff and serving as the designated hitter against the Tigers.
He recorded the club's first hit of the season with a double. But he went 1 for 3 in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday and hasn't started since the Pirates returned to PNC Park, going 0 for 2 as a pinch-hitter.
"It’s an adjustment, just not getting reps," Frazier said. "It’s cold out, so we’re not taking a lot of batting practice. That’s a little different, I guess. The main thing is trying to stay ready. ... I feel good offensively. It’s just a little bit more difficult defensively, getting those reps in BP. You just try to do what you can."
Even if the Pirates' starters manage to stay healthy, Frazier will still be used often to provide days off for Dickerson, Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer or Gregory Polanco. But his main role could be that of a pinch-hitter. He only has 35 career at-bats in that situation, but he, along with David Freese, Sean Rodriguez and Elias Diaz, offers Clint Hurdle an upgrade over the bench the Pirates deployed last season.
The club's pinch-hitters batted .199 in 241 at-bats in 2017, which was the eighth-lowest mark in MLB. Rodriguez has 118 career at-bats as a pinch-hitter and Freese is far less experienced at 65 at-bats. Frazier said he doesn't plan on changing his pregame routine to prepare for the role and unlike some players, doesn't take swings in the cage in the middle of the game in the event he's called upon.
He voiced confidence in maintaining the same routine, but Hurdle said the role of a bench player can take years to adjust to.
"A guy needs to pinch-hit probably for three years to find out," Hurdle said. "You can have a good year your first year; however, it becomes an art just as well. How to, when to. What type of preparation you need. You have to take your ego and put it in your back pocket. This is what you get to do. Go see how good you can be at this craft, at this task. … It’s what you get to do. You look around and say, ‘OK, he’s better than me. I’m not going to start much on this team. What I am going to get to do is leverage the game with one swing of the bat or one good at-bat, to get a walk or find a way to do that. It’s not easy to do, and nobody raises your hand and says, ‘Hey, let me do that.’"
Frazier is approaching the job with an open mind, though, and said his singular focus is being mentally ready to contribute when called upon at any point in a game.
"I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing," he said. "If I get in there, I get in there. I’m just going to make sure I’m ready to contribute when I do get in."