Keeping the faith: How Pirates rookie Jack Suwinski stays anchored amid sudden success
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When Derek Shelton wanted to emphasize an example of rookie outfielder Jack Suwinski’s patience at the plate, the Pittsburgh Pirates manager pointed to an encounter against Arizona Diamondbacks closer Mark Melancon.
Suwinski came to the plate with the Pirates trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth, a nine-pitch at-bat that saw Melancon attempt to pick off Bryan Reynolds at first base three times. Suwinski fouled off four pitches thrown by the 14-year veteran and four-time All-Star with 255 career saves before smashing a 3-2 curveball for a home run and 2-1 walk-off win June 4.
“The thing with Jack is, if you watch him on a daily basis, nothing really affects him,” Shelton said. “He never gets too high. Never gets too low. Early on, when we were in a little bit of a tough spot and he was hitting about .160, you could not tell it. His at-bats just continued to come. They continued to come. You saw him the night he had the lengthy at-bat off Melancon here … (he) fouled off everything and hit the walk-off.”
It just so happened to be Faith Night at PNC Park, and it was followed by a moment that proved Suwinski’s faith as much as that at-bat tested it: After celebrating Suwinski’s heroics, Pirates players shared their testimony with fans in the stands. Moments after giving up the winning homer to a rookie, the former Pirate Melancon joined them at the invitation of team chaplain Brad Henderson.
“It says a lot about him and the level he’s at with his faith,” Suwinski said. “It definitely sets a great example for younger guys like me who are still learning in their faith, just making that gesture. It could have been really easy to let your emotions and the results of the game get in the way but him being there is the best kind of example of putting your faith in action, putting your faith first and knowing what’s really important and being that representative of God and Christ, no matter what we go through.”
An hour or so after clubbing a 443-foot HR, Suwinski is taking part in Rays' "Faith Night" program at the Trop. Good stuff here from @KevinGormanPGH … https://t.co/STGrALzeD6
— RobBiertempfel (@RobBiertempfel) June 25, 2022
Shelton isn’t the only who has been impressed by how Suwinski, 23, has handled his impromptu promotion from Double-A Altoona to the major leagues. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound left-handed hitter leads all rookies with 12 home runs, including a pair of walk-off homers. The first came against Melancon; the second on Father’s Day against the San Francisco Giants, when Suwinski joined Andrew McCutchen as the only Pirates rookies in franchise history to hit three home runs in a game.
Just in case you wanted to watch all three of Jack’s home runs again. pic.twitter.com/9MybKcNmVB
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) June 19, 2022
Suwinski credits his sudden success to his faith, which he calls “my anchor and my foundation.” Raised Catholic in Chicago, Suwinski was drafted in the 15th round out of Taft High School in 2016 by the San Diego Padres. Suwinski said he was saved a few years later and trusted in his faith when they traded him (and infielder Tucupita Marcano) to the Pirates last July for All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier.
“I don’t really try to read too much into that sort of stuff, but I think when God gives me the ability to do that, whenever I do that and feel engaged and anchored and not drifting in my faith, I feel like that’s when I play my best,” Suwinski said of the walk-off homers. “I’m just trusting His plan. I know that no matter what, He’s going to lead me and guide me. Even if I go 0 for 4 and get mad in the moment, I know that I’m mad and know my emotion, I’m still able to turn and thank Him in that moment. That’s a learning experience for me.”
Suwinski had a quick learning curve with the Pirates, given he and Marcano were emergency call-ups who drove to PNC Park from Akron when Reynolds and Cole Tucker were placed on the covid-19 injured list April 26. Suwinski was batting .353 (18 for 51) with eight doubles, three home runs, 13 RBIs, a .421 OBP and a 1.107 OPS in 13 games at Altoona. He recorded his first major-league hit in his debut and had five hits in his first six games.
While Suwinski batted only .195 in May, he hit three doubles, five homers and had 10 RBIs. More important, Suwinski impressed Shelton with the consistency of his at-bats and by asking good questions of hitting coach Andy Haines and teammates. Suwinski also showed the ability to play all three outfield positions and, perhaps most important, provide lefty power in a park with a short right-field porch built for his swing.
“As much as any young rookie I think I’ve been around, he takes information from other players and from Andy at a really high level,” Shelton said, “and you very rarely see him make the same mistake within the at-bat twice with the same pitcher which is kind of rare for a kid that skipped Triple-A.”
Suwinski describes himself as quiet and shy yet has set off some of the Pirates’ wildest celebrations this season with his walk-off homers. After hitting his third homer against the Giants, he slammed his helmet to the ground while running down the third-base line and jumped onto home plate and was swarmed by his teammates.
So, Suwinski is finding his footing with the Pirates. He has a .250/.338/559 slash line with three doubles, six homers and eight RBIs in 21 games in June, despite going 0 for 13 with eight strikeouts and two walks in his last four games before hitting a 443-foot blast with a 112.4 mph exit velocity that hit the scoreboard Saturday at Tropicana Field.
Jack Suwinski – Pittsburgh Pirates (12) pic.twitter.com/fqHGX6QBzk
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) June 25, 2022
That’s why Suwinski leans on his daily routine, which starts with finding a way to express his faith. He belongs to a group text of players and support staff who exchange daily devotionals, so he’s eager to scan Bible verses to share as a positive way to start his day. His expressions can be outward, as well: For Suwinski’s walk-up song, the Pirates play the chorus of Crowder’s “Glory, Glory (God is Able).”
“Everything I do now I want it to be based off of my faith,” Suwinski said. “It’s something that really changed the way that I played the game, too. To put so much pressure coming from the game and to lean on the game so much, I learned that I was leaning on the wrong things. Then I turned to The Word and I turned to God. Now that’s my foundation. No matter what happens, I’ll always have my faith. I’ll always have God, always run to Him, no matter what.
“That helps me as a player because I remind myself and my friends and family who are in the faith, as well, my accountability partners will remind me that this game doesn’t define you. The Lord defines you. To be able to stay grounded and to stay humble, that’s the foundation. I like to use the word ‘anchored’ because it’s stable in one place and not drifting. That’s the way I want to live. … My goal is to put my faith into action daily and live in a way that shows my faith through my actions.”
One walk-off homer at a time.