ATLANTA — All Josh Harrison could do was watch from the dugout when an error at second base gave the Pirates a fourth consecutive series defeat. The rookie on the field in his place, Kevin Newman, had a grounder hit off his glove to allow the go-ahead run to score in a four-run eighth of the Pirates' 5-1 loss to the Braves Sunday at SunTrust Park.
Harrison, 31, did not pinch-hit and has started only three of the club's last 14 games, one of which he finished. He's dealt with an uncooperative hamstring for the past three weeks; however, health isn't the only reason for his recent exclusion from the lineup.
The Pirates, now 66-71 and 10 games back, intend to get younger players such as Newman and Adam Frazier in the lineup as much as possible in September. Rather than resenting the decision, Harrison is embracing it. After all, this will ensure he's healthy this offseason when he could be looking for another job.
"For me, the bigger picture is going healthy into the offseason," Harrison told DKPittsburghSports.com. "I’ve given it everything I have. These guys know that. I have to make a decision for myself to be smart because who knows what the future holds. I do know baseball is in my future. The shift of focus can be a blessing in disguise because I know only one way to play. This can pretty much ensure I’m going into the offseason healthy."
Harrison signed a four-year, $27.3 million contract extension in 2015, $10.25 million of which he received this season, with club options for 2019 and 2020. He'd make $10.5 million next season if the Pirates choose to pick up that option, but they're more likely to buy him out for $1 million. Frazier, 26, has batted .340 with 17 RBIs in 31 games since being recalled from Triple-A and has performed better defensively.
Frazier will also get paid the major-league minimum next season, and the Pirates can supplement second base with other prospects, potentially Newman or Kevin Kramer. Harrison also performed well below his own expectations in 2018, though he said injuries were to blame for most of those shortcomings. He missed a little over a month after breaking a bone in his left hand on a hit-by-pitch April 15 in Miami.
Harrison performed well upon returning to the lineup, posting a .333 average and .849 OPS in his first 19 games back. He began to struggle, though, after deciding to open his batting stance to better protect himself from hit-by-pitches. He batted only .179 over his next 28 games, until he pulled his hamstring during the final game before the All-Star break.
The Pirates initially expected Harrison to land on the disabled list, but he feared the injury would only worsen with more downtime. So, he chose to play through it, learning when to rein himself in whenever he thought about making one of his full-bore plays on the bases or in the field.
Harrison's produced when on the field in the second half. He's batted .272 with a .738 OPS since the All-Star break, though he's started only 19 of the Pirates' 40 games. He declared himself "100 percent" in Minneapolis earlier this month, only to encounter another hamstring pull.
Harrison's appeared in 91 games, his fewest since 2013, while his .658 OPS, including .298 on-base percentage, are his lowest marks in at least five years. A two-time All-Star, he's been worth only 0.3 wins above replacement in 2018, according to FanGraphs, and the dip hasn't been the result of bad luck.
His .291 batting average on balls in play is only slightly lower than his career average. Harrison's defense has also regressed, as he's posted negative-2 defensive runs saved. Yet, he's not concerned at all with how other front office executives view him.
"I’m comfortable because I know my resume speaks for itself," he said. "Even the last month, playing hurt, that’s my will to go out and play. Even if I’m not at my best. Missing those games can throw you off a little bit, but I still show what I can do. I know it’s there. I know everyone else does too. You just have to be healthy."
It appears Neal Huntington is ready to move on from Harrison and Jordy Mercer, the two longest-tenured players on the team. Mercer, 32, is a free agent at season's end and will also receive less playing time over the final month. He's expressed a desire to return in 2019 after making $6.75 million this season.
Both were catalysts during the Pirates' three consecutive playoff appearances, which will earn them the occasional start before they move on. Kramer, a second baseman batting .309 with 15 home runs for Triple-A Indianapolis, could be recalled this month. Newman, meanwhile, has three hits with 11 strikeouts in 30 at-bats since being called up. Pablo Reyes will also get playing time in the infield.
"We want to be respectful to Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison, everything that they’ve done with and for this organization, and we don’t want to just abandon them," Huntington said. "From their perspective, they want to play every day. From a club that’s shifted focus to next year’s perspective, you play the young player every day."
That comment was made after Huntington traded David Freese and Adeiny Hechavarria at the waiver deadline. The front office shifted its focus to 2019, and Huntington didn't list Harrison among his infield options for next season. Harrison doesn't fret, though. His singular focus is preparing himself for the unknown.
"Adversity, I’ve faced it," he said. "I’ve seen it. Jordy, too. We’ve seen some hardships. We experienced them together. We both know where we stand. When that time comes, everybody knows it will be emotional at the time, but that’s why you enjoy these moments."
1. Kingham's potential shines through.
Nick Kingham had to forget about this pitch:
Ronald Acuña Jr., the odds-on favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year, turned on that elevated fastball for a 430-foot homer to lead off the first. That's an immensely talented hitter putting an incredible swing on a decent pitch. Yet, Kingham's had issues in the first inning during his previous 14 appearances with the Pirates this season.
Kingham, making the spot start Sunday with Ivan Nova away from the team because of a personal matter, has allowed 18 runs in the first inning of his 13 starts. He bristled when asked if there are any parallels between those outings, but the 26-year-old responded well again. That was the only earned run he allowed over five innings, and he struck out five with no walks.
The Braves, now 76-60, managed only four hits against him, two of which were extra-base hits by Acuña Jr. Kingham struggled to throw his secondary pitches for strikes during his previous big-league start, a three-inning outing against the Mets on July 26. This time he was able to throw his slider and changeup to keep hitters off his fastball, which averaged just 92 mph.
He had 13 swinging strikes, six looking, and held the Braves' left-handed hitters to a combined 1 for 10.
"This is September baseball," Kingham said. "This is where the pushes are made. This is the first time I’m getting thrown in the fire, which I love. This is September baseball. This is what counts. People are going for division titles, playoff pushes. This is what it’s all about. This gets you into the playoffs. I love it."
It doesn't get the Pirates into the playoffs. But this is another chance for Kingham to state his case for next season. It's unlikely he'll be considered for a rotation spot since Nova and Chad Kuhl will return. A spot in the bullpen is a possibility, though. Kingham threw a scoreless 10-pitch inning of relief Thursday in St. Louis before having to prepare for this start.
"There was so much good that went out there, and he pitched out of a couple light jams there with well-executed pitches," Hurdle said.
2. Some of that youth actually produced.
Fans will want to give up on Newman after what happened here Sunday night. After all, this ball in play by Freddie Freeman was one of the more routine grounders a second baseman can field:
An infield single three batters later scored Freeman, and the Braves pushed two more runs across with Dovydas Neverauskas on the mound. Steven Brault deserved better. There would have been a runner on second with two outs had Newman fielded that ball cleanly. Instead, the Pirates allowed four runs in the eighth for a second consecutive night.
"The game up here is fast sometimes, and we have to kind of help him find a way to slow it down and continue to play," Hurdle said of Newman, who went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. "You have to separate your at-bats and your glove. He’s trying to do that. Plays like that hurt, though. We have to pick him back up and get him ready to play tomorrow."
The Pirates entered Sunday with the fewest home runs (7) and runs (45) in the majors since Aug. 12, as well as the second-lowest batting average in the NL. Acuña alone has nine home runs and 18 RBIs since Aug. 12. They managed only five hits against the Braves and left five on base. Colin Moran had three of those hits, all singles.
The rookie third baseman drove in the Pirates' only run in the first inning when he sprayed an outside pitch to left to score Gregory Polanco following back-to-back walks. Moran led off the fourth and seventh innings with singles, only for Mercer and Newman to hit into double plays.
3. Yeah, Mercer can still play.
No words to describe this one, so watch it yourself:
That's Mercer, the Pirates' starting shortstop for 710 games since 2012, diving to his left to rob Acuña of a base hit and preventing the go-ahead run from scoring on Kingham. He had been told a little over 24 hours earlier that his playing time would dwindle over the final month, this after he was open with his desire to return for at least one more season.
"It was a dynamite play," Hurdle said. "You lay out. It’s a play you’re looking for your shortstop to be able to make, to put an inning away like that. Yeah, it could have been a direction change. We scored in the first and never got to the plate again."
That's the kind of defensive play the Pirates could have used one night earlier. Remember Moran falling on that grounder to give the Braves their first run Saturday night? It's unfair to criticize Newman yet. After all, this was only his eighth start, and he's made only three at shortstop. Mercer's also not perfect, as illustrated with that ground ball off his glove in the seventh.
But he's reliable. That will be missed once he's gone, and yes, there will be a few teams who will be interested in his services.