The trouble started early, with the Nationals rattling off four straight hits and plating two runs before Mitch Keller even recorded an out. That set the pace for a 7-2 Pirates loss at PNC Park Friday.
Those first inning struggles have been all too common early this season. While small sample sizes need to be kept in mind with any analysis this early in the season, through seven games, the Pirates have allowed at least one run in the first six times. Their 11 runs allowed in the first are the most in the National League.
Three of those runs have come against Keller, who when asked if he could pinpoint why he has struggled in the opening frame, could only offer, "I have no idea."
It's been a recurring theme throughout Derek Shelton and Oscar Marin's tenure as well. Since taking over in 2020, Pirates pitchers have allowed 149 first inning runs, the fifth-most in the majors.
"We have to be better in the first inning," Shelton said. "We have to get after guys and stay in attack mode in the first inning, and it doesn’t seem like we’re doing a very efficient job of that so far."
Most games this year have followed the same pitching formula: Use a traditional starter for three to five innings, then hand the ball over to a bulk guy to give a couple frames. The latter includes pitchers like Wil Crowe, Miguel Yajure and Roansy Contreras, the latter two of which are viewed by the organization as future starters. Crowe led the team in starts last season with 25, so while he has excelled out of the bullpen so far, one can't close the books on him returning to the rotation.
The strategy has been used mostly because pitchers are still stretching out their arms after the abbreviated spring training, but the early goal for the coaching staff has been to find different ways in how the Pirates deploy their pitchers to get the most out of them.
One concept that has been brought up multiple times by Shelton and by Marin to me in Bradenton, Fla. is the opener. Marin in particular seemed enthusiastic about the idea talking to him in Florida, acknowledging then that it would "probably" happen at some point.
Given the struggles in the first inning, it might be worth exploring more seriously.
While not as rogue as it was back in 2018 when the Rays started to occasionally deploy it, the opener still goes against the grain of how the game is normally played. The appeal of using a reliever first is there is only one time in a game where the opponent's 1-2-3 hitters are guaranteed to hit in an inning. That's the first. If a starter needs time to figure out his mechanics or what he needs to do on the mound, it would be beneficial to face the middle or bottom of the order rather than the top first.
And the Pirates would have candidates, even if it's just for an inning or two. Crowe, Chris Stratton and Anthony Banda have long pedigrees as starters, and in the case of Crowe, he could force the Pirates' hand to give him another chance at starting if he keeps pitching as well as he has to start this season.Through seven innings, he has struck out nine, not allowed a run and put only four runners on base.
"Hopefully we're challenged with making the decision of when those guys pitch," Shelton said. "The one thing that we've told our group is it's going to be fluid. You can find yourself in different roles. It can be a situation where all of a sudden that we can throw an opener in front of one of the guys that has started one of the rounds through. Or one of these guys starts and pitches three innings and they come in on the backside. I think it will be something that's fluid moving forward, and something that we are talking through."
An opener isn't a catch-all solution, but if roles are fluid and experimentation is encouraged, it could be something Shelton and Marin can try. Outside of bullpen games, the last time the Pirates tried an opener was in 2019 with Michael Feliz. He allowed a grand slam before recording an out, though part of the struggles may have been mental because the team didn't let him know he was starting until after he had arrived at the ballpark that day. It was a set up that was doomed to fail.
If it doesn't work, well, the Pirates are already averaging a run and a half allowed in that first frame thus far. There's plenty of room for improvement.

JUSTIN K. ALLER / GETTY
Mitch Keller pitches in the first inning Friday at PNC Park.
• Keller's second start of the season did not fare much better than the first. While he was able to limit the first inning damage to just two runs by getting out of a bases loaded jam, he ended up being pulled with two outs in the fourth after throwing 84 pitches. He allowed four runs on seven singles and three walks, striking out four.
While he did ramp it up to nearly 100 mph at time, Shelton said he did not have his offspeed stuff, getting his pitch count up early.
The Nationals had a hard time elevating his pitches, lifting only four fly balls against him, but they were effective on the ground, getting five ground ball hits, usually beating infield shifts.
"It’s tough, but, that’s where we’re playing them," Keller said, "Just have to make another pitch. Keep making pitches and hopefully it’ll go your way."
Two starts into the season, Keller has now allowed eight earned runs over 7 2/3 innings. It's a long season, and while there are a few positives to pull from, it has not been the start many hoped he would have.
He's not overthinking it, knowing it's just two starts.
"I’m cool with how I’m throwing it right now," Keller said. "I’m feeling really good. I think it was seven singles tonight. I can’t do anything about some of those. You just have to keep pushing forward."
• Catcher Roberto Pérez was removed in the bottom of the second with a left quad contusion after being hit by a foul ball in the knee at the top of the inning.
Shelton said he wants to see how Pérez's body responds overnight before making any decisions, but at the moment, he's considered day-to-day.
Losing Pérez would be a significant blow to the Pirates' roster, not just because he has contributed offensively (.294/.400/.353 slash line with three runs scored) and provided quality glove work behind the plate, but because the Pirates do not have another catcher on the 40 man roster. Michael Pérez and minor-league free agent Jamie Ritchie competed for the backup job this spring, but ultimately lost the job when Andrew Knapp became available again.To add one of them would require a corresponding roster move.
Until then, all eyes will turn to Knapp, who signed with the club shortly before the start of the regular season. He had been catching as many bullpens as he could since signing last week in order to get a feel for this new pitching staff.
Knapp drew a walk to reach base safely for the only time in his three plate appearances Friday.
• Shelton shared that the Pirates' emergency catcher is utilityman Josh VanMeter. So if something would have happened to Knapp as well, VanMeter would have put on a mask and chest protector.
• Friday was Jackie Robinson day, marking the 75th anniversary that the legendary player and humanitarian broke baseball's color barrier.
As has become tradition, every player across the league wore number 42. All gear will be auctioned off by the Pirates and donated.
THE ESSENTIALS
• Boxscore
• Live file
• Standings
• Statistics
• Schedule
• Scoreboard
THE HIGHLIGHTS
THE INJURIES
• 10-day injured list: OF Anthony Alford (hand), LHP Sam Howard (back), RHP Duane Underwood (hamstring), RHP Max Kranick (forearm), RHP Luis Oviedo (ankle). Howard threw a scoreless inning for Class Low-A Bradenton Friday in a rehab assignment, striking out two and walking one.
• 60-day injured list: OF Greg Allen (hamstring), RHP Blake Cederlind (UCL), RHP Nick Mears (elbow surgery)
THE LINEUPS
Shelton's card:
1. Daniel Vogelbach, DH
2. Brian Reynolds, CF
3. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
4. Yoshi Tsutsugo, 1B
5. Ben Gamel, LF
6. Diego Castillo, 2B
7. Cole Tucker, RF
8. Roberto Pérez, C
9. Hoy Park, SS
And for Davey Martinez's Nationals:
1. César Hernández, 2B
2. Juan Soto, RF
3. Nelson Cruz, DH
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Keibert Ruiz, C
6. Yadiel Hernandez, LF
7. Maikel Franco, 3B
8. Lane Thomas, CF
9. Alcides Escobar, SS
THE SCHEDULE
The Pirates and Nationals will meet once again at 6:35 p.m. Sunday. Bryse Wilson (0-0, 6.75) will take the bump against Josh Rogers (1-0, 1.69). Jarrod Prugar will have you covered.
THE CONTENT
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