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Mitch Keller Continues Shutout Run in 4-0 Pirates Win

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Knowhere – I was in Altoona this week. I was in St. Pete last week. I’ll be in Bradenton and Greensboro this month. With each stop, I had/will have a single thought on my mind:

How do Major League Players maintain consistency on the road?

It’s easy having a routine at home. You can go to the store and buy a healthy breakfast option and make it every Sunday night to store in your fridge to give you dopamine each morning as your body slowly burns the cold oats and yogurt and berries until you eat that leftover Pho for lunch — the entire day dulling your mind just a bit.

You know the way to work while you are at home.

If you don’t want oats, you know where the smoothies and acai bowls are sold and when they open, while you’re at home. 

From there, you go about your life routines, all of which are left behind while you’re working on the road.

When you’re on the road, your animals miss you. Your people need you to carry out routines and responsibilities. You forgot your neck pillow.

And you’re just expected to be your best self, the exact same way you are at home.

Every. 

Single. 

Moment. 

Of.

Every. 

Single. 

Day.

Every. 

Day.

While.

You.

Are.

On. 

The. 

Road. 

And it just leaves so much room for error, that I really think we need to fully respect the lifestyle of who maintains that major league composure on the road.

This is where experience kicks in. Knowing how to prepare to be your best self, even when you’re not in the most optimal conditions.

Heading into today’s game in Baltimore, Mitch Keller had a 3.57 ERA in 22.2 innings on the road. He added seven shutout innings, striking out thirteen Orioles today, while slamming the door on a potential sweep in the Pirates 4-0 win.

This follows his first complete game shutout of his career in his previous start at home. The Pirates have been struggling, but Keller has been consistent, even through a team slump. He’s emerging as one of the best pitchers in the majors.

Veterans Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Santana got the Pirates on the board, with Santana beating out a single in the first inning with a lunge. What I love about Santana is that even in a season where he’s currently slumped to a .689 OPS, he finds those moments to produce.

Jack Suwinski has been doing much better on the road this year. He had a .922 OPS on the road heading into today’s gam, and went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run, scoring on a two RBI single by Ji-Hwan Bae in the third. Ke’Bryan Hayes previously singled to score Bryan Reynolds in the same inning.

The 4-0 lead was enough for Keller. The combo of Colin Holderman and David Bednar has been lights out all season. They shut down the final two innings of the game, pushing the Pirates to 22-19 on the year.

The Pirates are off on Monday, before going to Detroit for two games.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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