Pirates A to Z: Chase De Jong embraced grinder role in relief, became bullpen leader

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Miguel Andujar to pitcher Miguel Yajure.

Player: Chase De Jong

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 28 (Dec. 29)

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 230 pounds

2022 MLB statistics: Went 6-3 with a 2.64 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, with 59 strikeouts and 30 walks in 71 2/3 innings over 42 appearances.

Contract: Pre-arbitration eligible.

Acquired: Signed as a free agent in March after making team as a non-roster invitee to spring training.

This past season: De Jong started nine games for the Pirates in 2021 before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. When he made the team out of spring training, it was in a relief role.

A former second-round pick who was traded three times and has pitched for six major league clubs, De Jong long ago learned to embrace an ethos where he was willing to work hard and do anything he was asked.

“Being traded so many times and not belonging to anybody, being that swing guy, this and that,” De Jong said, “I’ve definitely had to fight to stay in the game and grind for that.”

De Jong got his payoff last season.

With Triple-A Indianapolis, he was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 13 innings over three appearances, including two starts, with 19 strikeouts and five walks. De Jong pitched seven innings of a combined no-hitter, recording nine strikeouts and two walks on 80 pitches in 38-degree temperatures in a 5-0 victory at St. Paul on April 14.

Eight days later, the Pirates selected his contract. De Jong became a valuable multi-inning reliever, even though he didn’t possess dominant stuff or statistics. That didn’t stop De Jong and fellow relievers Austin Brice and Manny Banuelos to make MLB history on Aug. 17, combining to throw seven no-hit innings in a 5-3 loss to Boston.

Facing a Boston Red Sox lineup that scored five runs in the first two innings against starter Mitch Keller, who experienced shoulder fatigue, De Jong retired the first nine batters he faced before walking Eric Hosmer to start the sixth inning. De Jong ended up throwing 28 of his 41 pitches for strikes in four scoreless frames.

“I knew my job was to keep the team in the game and work efficiently and give us a chance to keep it close and essentially save the ‘pen to give us the best chance to win (Wednesday),” De Jong said. “I took it to heart, tried to stay up tempo and stay ahead of guys.”

Brice pitched perfect innings in the seventh and eighth and Banuelos struck out the side in the ninth but De Jong was singled out for praise from Pirates manager Derek Shelton for his performance.

“Chase did a great job,” Shelton said. “Our entire bullpen was really good, but Chase was really efficient. When we put him in, I was hoping we would get three (innings). The fact that he was so efficient, the fact that he was able to give us the fourth — I think we saw in the fourth when he went out, he walked Hosmer; that’s the first time he’s had four ups in a while but he was able to get through it. Our bullpen was outstanding. Gave us a chance to get back in the game.”

Per Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates’ bullpen didn’t allow a hit in seven or more innings for the first time since MLB moved mounds 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate in 1893.

“I’m proud to be a part of that, just hand the baton to the next guy and let them do their job,” De Jong said. “It’s not about me. It’s about working efficiently, getting outs and just trying to keep the team in the game. I’m not trying to strike a bunch of guys out. I’m not trying to work long counts. I’m trying to let my defense work for me, which they did, just take the ball and make sure to save that bullpen.”

De Jong soon got a save of his own, recording the final five outs in a 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 31.

De Jong replaced Banuelos with one out in the eighth inning, and got Willy Adames to fly out to center and Hunter Renfroe to pop up to short. The Pirates were without any other candidates to close the game. All-Star David Bednar was on the injured list, rookie right-hander Yerry De Los Santos was out for the rest of the season and Wil Crowe blew a save opportunity a night earlier.

So Shelton stuck with De Jong, even after he gave up a leadoff double to Kolten Wong followed by a single to Keston Hiura. Shelton liked the right-on-right matchups against McCutchen and Urias.

“I pride myself in, I want to take the ball as much as I can, every day if possible and do something to help the team win. It’s a role that, it’s not glamorous,” said De Jong, who has pitched multiple innings in all but six of his relief appearances this season. “That’s one of the first bigger situations I’ve thrown in this year, but you’ve just got to be mentally ready to go in and try to help the team.”

De Jong got help from his defense. Shortstop Oneil Cruz chased Andrew McCutchen’s pop fly into shallow left field for the first out, holding Wong at third base. Cruz then combined with second baseman Rodolfo Castro for what De Jong called a “phenomenal double play.”

Facing a full count, Luis Urias grounded to second. Castro went to his left to field it and spun to throw back to second, where Cruz fired to first to turn two to end the game.

“I’ve known Chase a long time,” Shelton said. “This guy has grinded through a lot, went to indy ball. To come in there in a big situation, get us out of the eighth and then do that in the ninth was outstanding. I was really happy for him.”

De Jong was understandably emotional in an on-field, post-game interview with Robbie Incmikoski of AT&T SportsNet at American Family Field.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” De Jong said. “A lot of people helped along the way and I want to thank each and every one of them. (This) was pretty special. I’ve never gotten a save before. It’s pretty cool to have earned this organization’s trust in situations like that.”

De Jong had a 19-inning scoreless streak when he blew a 2-0 lead against the St. Louis Cardinals with a four-run ninth that featured an historic homer. After giving up back-to-back doubles to Tommy Edman and Corey Dickerson to cut it to 2-1, De Jong served up a belt-high fastball that Albert Pujols crushed 403 feet to center to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead. It was the second consecutive game Pujols homered, and it broke a tie with Alex Rodriguez for fourth among all-time home runs leaders behind Barry Bonds (762), Henry Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).

“It’s pretty well documented what he’s capable of doing,” De Jong said of Pujols. “The situation I faced him in, I need to go out there and get a save and solidify a win for the team, and I executed really poorly and I didn’t do it. I have a blown save, and we have a loss because of it. The guy’s one of the greatest hitters of all time. He’s supposed to do that when I don’t execute. Fact of the matter is he did his job, I didn’t do mine.”

The future: De Jong developed into not only a reliable reliever but a bullpen leader who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, whether it was absorbing blame for a blown save or serving notice of his dissatisfaction after the Pirates lost their 100th game for the second consecutive season.

After making his major league debut at age 23, De Jong has developed into a grinder. It’s a reputation he has embraced, believing it to be a positive character trait that fits in with the Pirates’ clubhouse culture.

“I take a lot of pride in that,” De Jong said. “I’m a guy that’s kind of had to grind for most of everything I have, and I like that. I definitely embody that persona. … If they ask me, ‘Can you fire 60 bullets for us?’ the answer is ‘yes.’ That’s something that’s always in the back of my mind that they may approach me with, so I’m constantly staying ready for that.”

Since being fast-tracked to the majors, his path has been anything but smooth. To De Jong, returning is a reward for his resiliency.

“That’s just the nature of the game. To do that, it’s a very fulfilling and rewarding experience,” De Jong said. “I told a lot of the young guys in Triple-A — because I became into a mentor role there, being the elder statesman even though I was 28 — that getting to the big leagues when I was 23 was really cool. Getting back at the age I am now and what I’ve been through, it’s incredibly more rewarding. I take a lot more pride in it. It’s incredibly satisfactory to be back here with a deeper understanding of myself. I don’t think I’d have that if I didn’t go through the trials that I have.”

De Jong could be a valuable piece for the Pirates moving forward, both for his multi-faceted pitching ability and his leadership.

“Every year, you’re looking for a guy like Chase, a guy that can pop in like that,” Pirates bullpen coach Justin Meccage said. “He’s a professional. He can do one-inning stints. He can do three-inning stints. He can do back-to-back. He can do three innings one day, then maybe in a pinch, take a day off and be ready to go the next day.

“I think every major league team is looking for a guy like Chase. We found one, and we found one that can be really good in that role. He found himself in really cool opportunities late in the season, a few ninth-inning appearances that are only going to help him be better going forward.”