Going Deep: Cutch tells team to 'earn respect' by playing better
Henry Davis worked to a full count against Robert Suarez with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a one-run game against the Padres tonight at Petco Park before home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez signaled for a called third strike on this pitch:
It was a significant moment in the Pirates' 3-2 loss that Davis couldn't believe as he threw his arms over his head. I asked what Jimenez said to him and he responded: "I think he just said, 'That's not down.' " It was the only comment Jimenez made on the call.
Don Kelly came to his player's defense. He was thrown out almost immediately by Jimenez -- his third ejection since taking over as manager. He didn't go quietly:
Kelly said Jimenez didn't say anything during their exchange. Andrew McCutchen, who was on third at the time of the call and raised his hands over his helmet as he walked toward home, stared at Jimenez from the top step of the dugout the next inning:
There was another confrontation between McCutchen, hitting coach Matt Hague and crew chief Andy Fletcher following the game as the umpires left the field. Kelly said that McCutchen told the team that they need to "earn respect" by playing better.
The five-time All Star and former MVP expanded on what he said to his teammates: "The call goes against us right now. If we want that to go for us, we gotta go out and earn it. We gotta go do our jobs and gotta win ball games as much as we can. Obviously, we've been playing better baseball, but we've been on the short end of it. I just want things to change for us, for the better and then we'll get that."
The Pirates' offense ranks in the bottom five of Major League Baseball in batting average (.226; 27th), slugging percentage (.335; 30th), OPS (.640; 28th) and runs scored (185; 29th). They had opportunities to change the outcome tonight. They went 2 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Suarez grooved two fastballs in that at-bat that Davis fouled off. Isiah Kiner-Falefa made a mistake in the fourth inning that allowed Manny Machado to score from second. Mitch Keller walked Fernando Tatis Jr. to start the sixth, setting the stage for a two-run inning in which the Padres took the lead. They also struck out 14 times.
"We had more opportunities tonight to win than just that pitch," Davis said. "I felt like I won the at-bat, but we had more chances to win than that."
Kelly will continue to protect his players like he did tonight and in Philadelphia 15 days ago after Bryce Harper's check swing. However, it's clear the Pirates know the onus is on them to take the next step.
"As a team, we just have to go out and earn it. Earn that respect, play with a chip on our shoulder and find a way to overcome those situations," Kelly said. "Like I said, it’s an unfortunate call in a big moment. It happened in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, it happened again tonight. Just proud of the guys, the way they competed, in this environment, against those two guys (San Diego relievers Jason Adam and Suarez), especially, and I think that it’s something to take forward. We’re right there. We were right there with these guys."
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THE ASYLUM
Greg Macafee
7:04 am - 05.31.2025SAN DIEGOGoing Deep: Cutch tells team to 'earn respect' by playing better
Henry Davis worked to a full count against Robert Suarez with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a one-run game against the Padres tonight at Petco Park before home plate umpire Edwin Jimenez signaled for a called third strike on this pitch:
It was a significant moment in the Pirates' 3-2 loss that Davis couldn't believe as he threw his arms over his head. I asked what Jimenez said to him and he responded: "I think he just said, 'That's not down.' " It was the only comment Jimenez made on the call.
Don Kelly came to his player's defense. He was thrown out almost immediately by Jimenez -- his third ejection since taking over as manager. He didn't go quietly:
Kelly said Jimenez didn't say anything during their exchange. Andrew McCutchen, who was on third at the time of the call and raised his hands over his helmet as he walked toward home, stared at Jimenez from the top step of the dugout the next inning:
There was another confrontation between McCutchen, hitting coach Matt Hague and crew chief Andy Fletcher following the game as the umpires left the field. Kelly said that McCutchen told the team that they need to "earn respect" by playing better.
The five-time All Star and former MVP expanded on what he said to his teammates: "The call goes against us right now. If we want that to go for us, we gotta go out and earn it. We gotta go do our jobs and gotta win ball games as much as we can. Obviously, we've been playing better baseball, but we've been on the short end of it. I just want things to change for us, for the better and then we'll get that."
The Pirates' offense ranks in the bottom five of Major League Baseball in batting average (.226; 27th), slugging percentage (.335; 30th), OPS (.640; 28th) and runs scored (185; 29th). They had opportunities to change the outcome tonight. They went 2 for 6 with runners in scoring position. Suarez grooved two fastballs in that at-bat that Davis fouled off. Isiah Kiner-Falefa made a mistake in the fourth inning that allowed Manny Machado to score from second. Mitch Keller walked Fernando Tatis Jr. to start the sixth, setting the stage for a two-run inning in which the Padres took the lead. They also struck out 14 times.
"We had more opportunities tonight to win than just that pitch," Davis said. "I felt like I won the at-bat, but we had more chances to win than that."
Kelly will continue to protect his players like he did tonight and in Philadelphia 15 days ago after Bryce Harper's check swing. However, it's clear the Pirates know the onus is on them to take the next step.
"As a team, we just have to go out and earn it. Earn that respect, play with a chip on our shoulder and find a way to overcome those situations," Kelly said. "Like I said, it’s an unfortunate call in a big moment. It happened in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, it happened again tonight. Just proud of the guys, the way they competed, in this environment, against those two guys (San Diego relievers Jason Adam and Suarez), especially, and I think that it’s something to take forward. We’re right there. We were right there with these guys."
Want to participate in our comments?
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Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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