Corey Dickerson doesn't want to be told to take a game off. It often makes for an awkward conversation when Clint Hurdle asks Dickerson if he needs a day or if he flat-out tells the Pirates' left fielder he's out of the lineup.
"I don’t want days off," Dickerson said with a smile. Hurdle is receptive to Dickerson's feedback, however, the Pirates are determined to monitor his workload since he's never started more than 98 games in the outfield. He's not the only one they're being cautious with.
Rather than sending Austin Meadows back to Triple-A Indianapolis last month, the Pirates chose to keep the 23-year-old outfielder to provide Dickerson, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco with ample time off. After all, Meadows had 13 hits in 29 at-bats in his first seven major-league games and can play all three outfield positions.
Has the nearly one-month-old four-man outfield gone as the Pirates' planned, though?
"We want them all to be successful," Clint Hurdle said. "It’s playing out to where it’s providing opportunities for all of them. It’s providing some rest for all of them. Hopefully just a better appreciation of how fortunate you are when you get those extended times where you play 20 of 22 games. It’s become more rare in the game, and it's something where I know we have guys who want to do it. We monitor that when we can."
And all three starting outfielders need to be monitored. In addition to Dickerson's previous workload in the outfield, Marte spent time on the disabled list last month because of a strained right oblique, and Polanco played only 108 games in 2017 because of a lingering hamstring injury. He's also batted just .202 since April 13.
Plus, Meadows was limited by injuries the past two seasons, playing only 72 games with Indianapolis last season because of hamstring and oblique injuries. The left-handed hitter is out of the lineup for a second consecutive game Tuesday after fouling a ball off his right foot in the first inning Sunday against the Reds.
Still, he's played in 19 of 22 games, including 15 starts, since Marte was activated from the 10-day disabled list on May 26. Although Meadows has batted .328 with a .948 OPS since being recalled May 17, his production has dipped in June. He's posted a .697 OPS with 11 strikeouts to two walks in 14 games. For perspective, the league average OPS is .722.
Meadows is not a typical every day player, yet Hurdle has arranged his off-days to mirror those of his outfield counterparts.
"For me, I was just excited to be here," Meadows said. "That’s the big picture. Being able to be here in the big leagues and however they need my help, how they need me to play, whether it’s a four-man rotation. Me being here is the main goal and staying here. That’s the plan. However they need to use me."
He's been used 11 games in center field, seven in right and four in left. This will be only his second time receiving back-to-back days off since being recalled. Polanco, on the other hand, has received back-to-back days off once since Marte's return.
Although the 26-year-old has a .735 OPS with nine RBIs in 14 games this month, he's still batting .214 with a team-high 61 strikeouts in 63 games. He's started seven consecutive games and has reached safely in six of his last seven plate appearances. The Pirates hope a four-man rotation provides Polanco with the occasional day off to watch the game from a different perspective.
Hurdle said a "change of lens" can benefit a struggling player, and Polanco has expressed confidence he's found a solution to consistently keep his swing short. "In Gregory, I just think in his case it keeps him connected when he doesn’t start because he may be used, so he’s paying attention to games, he’s watching the other guys," Hurdle said. "It’s just a different look for him, and I think sometimes it’s not taking away but you’re removed from it, it makes you find a different level of focus when you are engaged."
Marte has appeared in 20 of 22 games since returning from the disabled list, including 18 starts, but he's struggled during that span. The center fielder has batted .219/.263/.370 with two home runs, 13 RBIs and 16 strikeouts to four walks. Although he's one for his last nine, Marte has posted a .816 OPS over with seven RBIs over his past seven games.
Todd Tomczyk, the Pirates' director of sports medicine, told reporters last week in Phoenix that Marte is still experiencing some discomfort in his oblique when swinging a bat, and Hurdle has acknowledged the Pirates want to monitor Marte's workload for that reason.
After all, Marte was a catalyst for the offense during the first six weeks of the season, batting .308 with a .869 prior to his injury. The perception is Meadows is only in the majors to spell Polanco, however, his presence may be necessary because of Dickerson. Dickerson, 29, hasn't started more than 90 games in the outfield since 2014, and he wore down in the second half last season, batting only .241 with a .690 OPS over 65 games.
Still, Dickerson doesn't want days off. The Pirates' training staff is aware of that. So, they regularly ask him how many innings he's played in the outfield this season, compared to this time last year.
"As the games get longer, games last longer and you’re on your feet longer, I guess they start looking at how many miles you’ve ran and all those things. how many fly balls you’ve ran after," Dickerson said. "They’re always asking me how many innings I’ve played at this point last year. I’m always kind of far off. ... They have to pry days off from me. It’s kind of like an awkward situation when they ask me or tell me I have an off-day."
So, you can imagine what Dickerson's opinion is of the current plan for the outfield. He still views himself as the starter — not a cog in a rotation.
"It’s not really a rotation to me," Dickerson said. "I’m going to play every day until I need an off day. Same with those guys."