PIRATES

Wilber Dotel may only have seven major-league appearances under his belt, but you wouldn't guess it with the way he's performing as of late. 

With a fearless approach and a mentality focused on attacking hitters, Dotel is making his mark within the Pirates' bullpen and impressing those who now get to share a major-league clubhouse with him. 

"His presence on the mound is his big thing right now," Endy Rodriguez told me following the Pirates' 10-6 victory over the Astros here tonight at Daikin Park. "He don't give a f--- who's hitting. He's just throwing the ball."

Dotel covered three innings in relief on this particular night, keeping the Astros hitless over yet another scoreless outing. He walked two and struck out three, including the final two batters he faced in the eighth inning. It was Dotel's third straight appearance in which he's provided three scoreless innings and his fourth scoreless performance of three innings or more. 

He continues to get the job done every time his number is called, as he's allowed just two runs on seven hits with five walks and 17 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings with the big-league club. Pitching without fear, regardless of who's at the plate, has played a significant role in Dotel's continued success. And it's allowed him to provide a much-needed jolt to a bullpen that has lacked consistent contributors.

"You saw it there with Yordan Alvarez, one of the greatest lefties in the game," Rodriguez said, referring to Dotel going right after Alvarez and retiring him to end a 1-2-3 seventh inning. "He don't give a f---. He was throwing the ball where he had to throw it and that was it. From what I've seen, it seems like he's been doing it like this his whole career."