Two days combined into one in this article because both Monday and Tuesday were relatively slow. We start with news first from the Dominican.
Michael Feliz joined Tigres del Licey on Monday after the Pirates gave him permission to play winter ball this year. The Houston Astros never allowed him to play during the off-season, so this is his debut in the Dominican winter league. He didn’t get into Monday’s game, but on Tuesday, Feliz pitched a scoreless inning. He retired all three batters he faced, one by strikeout.
Feliz is arbitration-eligible this winter and the Pirates have to decide by Friday whether to tender him a contract for 2019. He is projected to make $900,000 next year and the Pirates acquired him as a piece in the Gerrit Cole deal, so it seems likely that he will stick around. Feliz had a 5.66 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 47.2 innings over 47 appearances with the Pirates in 2018. He was sent down to Indianapolis for a brief time, making nine appearances in Triple-A.
In the Dominican on Monday night, Erik Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with a single.
Pablo Reyes started at third base and went 0-for-3 with a walk. He’s hitting .240/.345/.310 in 100 at-bats this winter.
Alfredo Reyes played well off of the bench on Sunday, so that earned him a start at shortstop on Monday. He went 2-for-4 with two singles.
Oddy Nunez retired the only batter he faced, picking up a strikeout, while stranding an inherited runner. This was his first appearance since November 4th. In five outings this winter, he has allowed three runs over 4.2 innings.
Tuesday
On Tuesday night in the Dominican, Erik Gonzalez connected on his first home run of the winter, a 427-foot shot (see video below). He finished the day 1-for-4 with a walk. Gonzalez is hitting .255 with four doubles, a homer and three walks over 23 games and 94 at-bats. He has four steals in five attempts.
HR de Erik Gonzalez que pone al frente a los Leones 1 carrera por 0, QUE PALO!!! pic.twitter.com/CWfnOaPAOc
— #LaBullaOrganizada (@LaMaquinariaRoj) November 28, 2018
Alfredo Reyes went 2-for-3 with his first double of the winter and he scored two runs. He’s now hitting .324 through 25 games and 34 at-bats.
In Colombia, Edgar Barrios went 0-for-4 during a doubleheader. Through 17 games, he has a .216/.302/.216 slash line.
Andres Arrieta made his first start during the second game of a doubleheader and it did not go well. All three batters he faced reached base and came around the score. One of the hits was a home run. He was removed after just 12 pitches. In 4.2 innings over five appearances, he has allowed four runs on seven hits, with two walks and one strikeout.
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