MILWAUKEE — Clint Hurdle is still learning to trust his closer and vice versa. Prior to the Pirates' first game of this series at Miller Park, Hurdle expressed to Felipe Vázquez that he was concerned Vázquez had not pitched at all in six days.
In addition to not throwing in a game in one week, Vázquez prefers to not throw bullpen sessions between outings, opting instead to stick to his throwing program. He'll typically throw 15 pitches simply to maintain his "touch and feel" for his mechanics on the mound.
Vázquez attempted to ease his manager's concerns by throwing a bullpen. The 26-year-old then secured a five-out save in the Pirates' 6-4 victory over the Brewers Friday night; however, Hurdle's decision to use Vázquez was made with some level of angst and he plans to not let the situation happen again.
"I have a belief. I like guys to at least touch the ball in a certain period of time," Hurdle said. "I've had a point with everybody so far. Felipe is a guy we haven’t been able to nail down a point. I’m trying to earn his trust. He’s trying to earn mine. ‘How many days can you go without pitching in the game that makes sense?’ This was past my comfort zone to be quite frank with you, and I told him. He said, ‘No, what I’m going to do is go throw an aggressive bullpen; I feel confident in my ability to be able to do that.'"
It was only the fourth time in Vázquez's career he had more than five days off between relief appearances, yet he needed only 20 pitches to secure his third career save of at least five outs. George Kontos, the Pirates' setup man, threw 21 pitches in the team's loss to the Nationals on Thursday, so Hurdle quickly turned to Vázquez when Kontos allowed a one-out single to the Brewers in the eighth inning.
Vázquez walked the first batter he faced before getting two consecutive outs to strand two runners on base, striking out Orlando Arcia to end the eighth.
"Every time they call me is a challenge," he said afterward. "It can be bases loaded and they call me. That’s my challenge. The team is on my back in that situation like it was today. Man on first and then I walked a guy. Since they trusted me I hate that. … That’s why [Ray Searage] didn’t even walk out. He knows I’m crazy."
Vázquez allowed a leadoff single in the ninth inning; however, David Freese executed a double play and Vázquez struck out Christian Yelich with this slider to snap the Pirates' four-game losing streak:
Vázquez has pitched in three non-save situations this season, but Hurdle did not use him in the four-game series against the Nationals. Instead, the Pirates leaned on long relief when down late in games. Vázquez downplayed the impact six days off can have, saying his usual routine of 15 pitches in his throwing program is enough.
On the surface, the outing appeared to be the result of Vázquez properly preparing himself. Hurdle's response when asked about his closer's preparation painted a different picture.
"I don’t think he knows for certain what’s best for him," Hurdle said. "We’re trying to figure it out. Sometimes you don’t get to peek behind the curtain. All you know is he doesn’t pitch. There are times players don’t play and no questions are ever asked and that guy might not have been able to play tonight at all, or a pitcher might not be able to pitch out of the bullpen at all and he didn’t get used or it didn’t match up where it was odd."
Vázquez said in spring training that time off the mound can negatively impact his mechanics. He missed arm-side twice when he walked Manny Piña on five pitches with one out in the eighth, but he threw only one more ball during the rest of his outing.
It was Vázquez's sixth save, and he's averaging 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings, but he has struggled at times. Vázquez has a 3.46 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and is allowing 8.3 hits per nine innings. His walk rate is up from last season, and he's allowed either a hit or walk in nine of his 13 outings.
Vázquez has blamed both cold weather and early-season rust for some of those issues. He told reporters Friday night he is open to entering a game in any situation.
"I was going to go like four days in a row back when we were playing St. Louis," Vázquez said. "I think it was four days in a row and then they gave me that long break. It feels weird not being back there every two days or every other day. It was cool to have some days off and to be at it for five outs. 'What are we doing here?' … I tell them every time they need me, even if it’s eight outs I’ll be ready."
Vázquez was not in the visitor's clubhouse during the media's availability Saturday afternoon, and Hurdle would not say if he's available to pitch in the second game of this series. But Hurdle did make it clear he's going to do whatever it takes to ensure Vázquez doesn't go six days without pitching again.
"It goes back to if you want to earn trust, you’ve got to give trust," Hurdle said of his decision to use Vázquez for a five-out save. "Sometimes it works out perfectly and sometimes there’s collateral damage along the way you have to figure out. That’s too long for me, for a guy to go six days without pitching. We talked about it and he came in last night and was pretty effective. You tip your hat to him, and we’ll move on. I’ll just try to create something where it won’t be six days again, without him knowing it."