INDIANAPOLIS – Dean Treanor joked that he might have to fine Chad Kuhl for being in PNC Park on Friday instead of Victory Field, home of the Indians.
Then he gave a slight grin.
No official roster move has been made, but Kuhl appears to be the Pirates’ spot starter on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Treanor did not officially confirm the move, but did nothing to dispel any speculation.
Kuhl is the likely choice because he would be going on an extra day of rest, while a fan favorite option — Tyler Glasnow — would only have three days rest. Kuhl allowed 10 hits in his previous start at Gwinnett on Monday. That was the second consecutive outing he had allowed 10 hits. But he only allowed two earned runs in his last start, compared to four in the previous one.
Overall, Treanor said Kuhl’s last outing was an improvement over his previous three or four starts.
“Obviously the Pirates did, too,” Treanor said.
In the three starts prior to his last one, Kuhl allowed 12 earned runs and 24 hits. He also walked seven batters during that stretch. His biggest problem lately has been fatigue, Treanor said.
“When you lose your legs or you are fatigued, your pitches are going to come up and that’s what happened to him,” Treanor said. “He was so good when he was down early in the season and the pitches just crept up. I think that is how that fatigue comes into play.”
And for a pitcher like Kuhl, who wants to use his sinkerball to force groundouts, an inability to keep the ball low in the zone is even more damaging.
“Absolutely,” Treanor said.
If Kuhl is the starter on Sunday, he will do so with an extra day of rest. He was originally scheduled to start for the Indians on Saturday. That extra rest will help Kuhl, but energy shouldn’t be a problem.
“I think it will help him a lot,” Treanor said. “But the adrenaline is going to help him. If that’s what happens. … So if he does pitch on Sunday and it is against [Clayton] Kershaw — [Kuhl] will have more than enough adrenaline.”
And if that adrenaline kicks in, Kuhl may be able to regain the control he had earlier in the season when his sinker was forcing easy groundball outs. Kuhl allowed two earned runs or less in his first ten starts of the season, including none in four of those.
If that’s the Kuhl that shows up on Sunday, he can be successful, Treanor said.
“It will play,” Treanor said. “And that’s a hot team and he’s going to be challenged. I think it will be a great challenge for him to see where he’s at.”
