Luis Ortiz returns for spot start with Pirates, hoping to stay in starting rotation

Luis Ortiz was back with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, just not officially.

Ortiz was in the home clubhouse as a member of the taxi squad, waiting to be activated to the major league roster on Wednesday. Pirates manager Derek Shelton said the 24-year-old right-hander will start the series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park with a chance to clinch a sweep.

Ortiz is hoping that his spot start could earn a spot in the starting rotation.

“I’m willing to give my 100% out there to fight for a spot,” Ortiz said. “Most likely, just try to help the team win and put our team in a good spot.”

After a dazzling major league debut last September, Ortiz fizzled earlier this season. He started the year at Triple-A Indianapolis before being recalled by the Pirates on May 9. He was 2-3 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 53⅔ innings, giving up 11 home runs in as many appearances.

Ortiz was optioned July 5 with the directive to work on his delivery.

“It’s a learning process,” Ortiz said through interpreter Stephen Morales. “Things happened for a reason. All I can control is to go out there and do my best and pitch my arm off.”

Ortiz was 4-4 with a 4.61 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 13 games at Indy, holding opponents to a. 236 batting average. He was placed on paternity leave from Aug. 3-12 for the birth of his child, daughter Shania.

“One of the core messages was just to make sure that his foundation was similar to the way it was last year when we saw him come to the big leagues,” Shelton said. “We feel like we’re making progress toward that. Working on the fastball, the fastball velocity has been there. Overall, the delivery has been cleaner. And foundationally, he’s in a way better spot.”

After relying primarily on a fastball-slider combination last year, Ortiz spent the offseason working to add a changeup to his pitch repertoire.

“That was a definite focus,” Shelton said. “That was to the point of what his repertoire is. You cannot rely on one pitch in the big leagues. You cannot rely on one pitch without lack of execution. The foundation of that, besides the delivery, was execution of pitches. Not just the fastball but all three pitches.”

Where Ortiz touched triple digits six times in his MLB debut, his average fastball velocity dipped from 98.4 mph last year to 96.1 mph this season, per Statcast. His strikeouts per nine innings dropped from 9.6 to 5.7 this season, as opponents hit his fastball at a .447 clip this season and he surrendered six of 11 home runs on four-seamers.

“I think we’re going to see more 95-98 than we are 100,” Shelton said. “Last year was a little bit of adrenaline from a kid who went from Double-A to Triple-A in the big leagues. There are very few guys who sit at 100 and even sit at 99. If he’s 95-98, I think we’re gonna be in a good spot.”