PIRATES

Over the first 13 games of the season, Pirates hitters have shown a real tendency to go the opposite way. They sit in the middle of the pack among teams in Major League Baseball in total hits (102) and rank tied with the Rays for first in MLB in opposite-field hits (41). That includes 10 collected in a 7-1 win over the Padres on Tuesday. 

I asked Don Kelly what he credits that to and he described it as an approach that Matt Hague and the hitting staff has been driving with their hitters. 

“We started last year with it and the guys are really buying in," Kelly said. "Yesterday, I thought was a phenomenal team game, when you’re talking about the success (Shota) Imanaga has had against us, to grind out those at-bats and really stick with the approach. It didn’t lead to any hits, as we know, but it led to a higher pitch count and we were able to get him out of the game. There have been so many times where he’s been able to go seven, eight innings against us with that type of stuff, and them being able to go to (Daniel) Palencia, too. I think that approach of staying up the middle and the other way leads to the higher pitch counts and grinding out at-bats.” 

Per the Elias Sports Bureau, a total of 10 different Pirates players have three or more hits to the opposite field this season. Ryan O'Hearn (six) leads the pack, and is considered one of MLB's leaders in that category. Nick Gonzales ranks second on the team (five) and five others have four: Jake Mangum, Spencer Horwitz, Nick Yorke, Jared Triolo and Bryan Reynolds. Brandon Lowe, Oneil Cruz and Henry Davis have three opposite-field hits apiece. Marcell Ozuna has one.

“When you look back at when Henry’s been really good, he’s able to go the other way," Kelly said. "I think back to that swing he had against Sonny Gray in spring training when he took a cutter oppo to right-center for a home run. He’s got the power to do that, but it doesn’t have to be the home runs. It’s being able to hit even hit the four hole and stay on baseballs, which I think is the better approach for him. He’s got power and he will catch a ball out front and pull it at times, but I feel like he’s at his best when he’s going the other way. ... Oneil, from the beginning, hitting off a left-hander all offseason and then to come in, I think his first three hits (in spring) were line drives the other way. For me, that leads to a better path. When we try to generate power and catch it out in front, we’re not as good of hitters, and I think our guys have done a much better job of staying up the middle the other way. And we’ve seen the power when you catch it out in front. Oneil has power to leave. He can go anywhere, leave any ballpark at any time.”