It’s been an eventful couple of weeks for Wilmer Difo. He failed to make the opening day roster, but was included on the Pirates’ first taxi squad of the season. Once Ke’Bryan Hayes injured his left wrist in the opening weekend, the Pirates added him to the team.
So far, his stint with his new team has gone well, going 4-for-11 with two doubles and a home run.
“I value the opportunity,” Difo said through translator Mike Gonzalez. “I know that we're here to win. I know that we're here to produce. And every opportunity that is given to me and every chance that I get, I'm trying to maximize it.”
Difo is used to the utility role, doing it for parts of six seasons with the Nationals. That was almost exclusively in the infield, though, while the Pirates gave him looks in center field during spring training and in one of his three appearances in the field so far.
“I feel comfortable,” Difo said. “I feel even more confident with all the reps that I'm getting all the work that we've been putting in and I really do feel confident I can play not just in center field, but anywhere in the outfield."
That flexibility to play the infield and outfield is a major selling point for the Pirates, who are operating with just a four-man bench.
That isn’t all he brings, though.
“There were a couple of things we targeted,” Derek Shelton said. “The fact that he's a switch hitter, the fact that he's extremely versatile and … this kid's high-energy all the time. He brings a ton of energy. Everybody we talked to talked about how good a team guy he was.”
There is no word yet on when Hayes could return to the lineup, or if the Pirates would go to a five-player bench once he does. If he continues to hit, it would go a long way towards hanging on to a roster spot.
“Even though I know I'm a utility guy, [I’m] going into every game preparing mentally and physically like I was a starter, and that has helped me out a lot,” Difo said. “When I do get the opportunity to come off the bench and hit, I take every at-bat serious. I study the game throughout the game. I watch the game throughout the game. I never try to let myself get distracted throughout the game. And I'm continuously focused, learning about the game, seeing people's at-bats, and when I go up to the plate, I have a better idea of what I'm looking for. I have a better plan.”
MORE PREGAME NOTES
• The Pirates will be facing a familiar foe Monday in Yu Darvish, who is making his third start with the Padres after coming from the Cubs.
Darvish had a terrific 2020 season, finishing runner-up for the Cy Young award. Part of the reason for his success is his wide repertoire of pitches, which can make prep work for him difficult.
“That’s a challenge in and of itself, when a guy has five pitches and three or four of them are well above average and the other one’s average,” Shelton said. “On any given night, he could have one, if not five working and then try to work off that. So you could go into a gameplan and think, ‘OK, we’re going to attack this because that what he’s going to do.’ Then he doesn’t have the feel for that pitch and goes into something else. So the ability to adjust the gameplan is the challenge when you have guys that have the wide variety or assortment of pitches.”
Darvish is just kicking off a four-game series of talented opposing pitching. The Padres will follow with Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove -- who just threw a no-hitter -- and Chris Paddock, all of whom have had terrific results in the majors or promise.
“The guys they’re running out there the next four days all have really good stuff,” Shelton said. “Two of these guys have won Cy Youngs or been finalists, so yeah, you have to stay aggressive and not let them dictate counts.”
• The Pirates are being mindful of their bullpen management early this season, not just to make sure they don’t overwork anybody, but to make sure that their pitchers stay loose. With a nine-man bullpen and a pair of off-days in the books, Shelton knew he would have to rely on relievers a bit more early on in Chad Kuhl and Trevor Cahill’s starts since they were still stretching out after their abbreviated springs. That won't be as much of an issue going forward.
The Pirates started a stretch of 15 games in 16 days last Saturday against the Cubs, so the concern is now shifting.
“Now we go into a stretch where we play however many days we do and just making sure guys stay sharp… The challenge is making sure that we don’t overuse guys.”
• Shelton says it’s been “all positive reports” for Cole Tucker and Jared Oliva from spring training. The Pirates opted to keep the two in Bradenton, Fla. rather than include them at the alternate site to start for “skill development.”
“Positive signs,” Shelton said, adding that he has seen video of them in camp. “I appreciate those guys putting themselves in a position to work hard and isolate on specific skill development.”
