Pirates notebook: Ke'Bryan Hayes hoping for a healthy Opening Day, Mitch Keller's wait is over

CINCINNATI — Ke’Bryan Hayes is hoping for an Opening Day that more closely resembles his first than his last, even though he has 70 million reasons to feel the opposite.

If the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman prefers the two-run homer he hit as a rookie in the 2021 opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field to agreeing to a franchise-record eight-year, $70 million contract before Opening Day at St. Louis last year, he has good reason: He left that game in the first inning with cramping in his left (glove) hand.

Hayes is hoping Thursday’s season opener against the Cincinnati Reds brings a more memorable experience.

“For the most part, they were similar: You’re playing baseball,” Hayes said Wednesday at Great American Ball Park. “My first Opening Day, it was pretty cool to hit a home run in my first at-bat. I think my dad (Charlie) did it (for the Colorado Rockies in 1993), so it was cool to share that history with him.

“Last year was a bunch of mixed emotions. I signed the contract then had to come out of the game with the thumb cramp. It was unfortunate, but I was able to move past it the next game. I’m excited for this year’s Opening Day.”

Hayes batted .341 with a team-high four home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.056 OPS in Grapefruit League play this spring, so it’s no surprise Pirates manager Derek Shelton laughed when asked which Opening Day Hayes he’d rather have in the lineup against the Reds.

“Yeah, I’m taking that, 100%,” Shelton said. “I’m really happy with the spring that Ke’ has had. Defensively, we know. But offensively, the strides he’s taken, the way he came into camp and his at-bats all spring have been really solid.”

For starters

Mitch Keller said time has moved slowly since he learned he would make his first Opening Day start against Reds right-hander Hunter Greene, who threw seven-plus no-hit innings in a 1-0 loss to the Pirates on May 15 at PNC Park.

“It is a special day,” Keller said. “He found out he was starting Opening Day a couple weeks before I did, so I’ve been looking forward to that for a while. He’s such a good competitor. He’s got elite stuff, and it’s shown. I’m excited for the matchup. Hopefully, we can come out on top. You always want to be your best, especially when you’re going against their best. It brings out a little bit more.”

The rest of the probable starting pitching matchups feature Rich Hill facing Nick Lodolo in a battle of lefties Saturday and Vince Velasquez against fellow righty Graham Ashcraft on Sunday. Roansy Contreras threw Wednesday in Bradenton, which lines him up to start Monday in Boston, followed by Johan Oviedo and Keller.

Positioned to play

Shelton said seven starting positions were determined in spring training, leaving second base and right field as the question marks. Ji Hwan Bae and Rodolfo Castro are the candidates at second base, but right field depends on how Andrew McCutchen’s sore right elbow is feeling. McCutchen could serve as designated hitter.

“The one thing with Cutch is he knows his body better than anybody,” Shelton said. “He’s very conversant with how he feels with (trainer Rafael Freitas) and the group, which is important. We’ll trust conversations with him. … He’s made progression on it. We will not have him throw a ton. He knows his body, and we’ll build off that.”

The Pirates will have a new starter in center field, as Shelton said Bryan Reynolds will start in left field in the opener after playing all but one game in center last season. That makes Jack Suwinski the likely starter in center field, continuing a move made during spring training.

“He played left really well for a couple years,” Shelton said. “So I think he’s comfortable in any of the spots out there. But yeah, he definitely seems comfortable (in left) and I think we’re all going to be ready to get out of the sun in Florida.”

Welcome to the club

Rookie outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba called it a “huge relief” that he made the Pirates’ final cut of spring training, thanks to a strong spring training where he hit .333 with three homers and a team-best 14 RBIs.

“I think it was great having Skip say in the very first meeting that there will be competition,” Smith-Njigba said. “I really embrace competition. I love competition. I feel like competition makes not only yourself better but the group better. I was really happy that the hard work did pay off and the competition was real. I’m just thankful for the opportunity.

“It means everything and more. A lot of guys came up to me and said, ‘A lot of people don’t have Opening Days. A lot of people don’t get to experience an Opening Day.’ Being able to experience this at 23 years old is a blessing and a dream come true. I want to have at least 12-15 more Opening Days, so I’m glad that I’m here in Cincy, in the same locker room as Cutch, Reynolds, Ke’Bryan. It means so much to me.”

Jason Delay was a bit more subdued about winning the three-way battle for backup catcher, which Shelton called a “defensive-based decision” where Delay separated himself with his receiving, throwing and the relationships he developed with the pitching staff last season.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised,” Delay said. “I think that was one thing that I came in and worked on this offseason: developing that confidence to where I can come into a big-league clubhouse and say, ‘Hey, I belong here.’ So yeah. Surprised isn’t the word I would use. Obviously, we signed guys this offseason, but I kept my confidence throughout spring training. I always felt like — I’ve said it a million times — I’m a defense-first catcher, and I feel like I caught really well this spring. I do feel like I belong here.”

The feeling was a bit different for veteran reliever Rob Zastryzny, who made the trip here but was waiting for word from the front office Wednesday night about whether he will be added to the 40-man roster.

The 31-year-old left-hander, who has made 24 appearances over four seasons with the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Los Angeles Angels, was a nonroster invitee to spring training who impressed the Pirates when he didn’t allow an earned run, had 10 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings and held opponents to a .185 batting average this spring.

“At first, it was a little stressful because you want to tell the whole world, ‘I’m on the Opening Day roster.’ When it’s, ‘We don’t know what’s going to happen exactly,’ you don’t want to give good or bad news, one way or the other,” Zastryzny said. “It’s more of a ‘Hey, there’s a shot on the Opening Day roster. I’ll give you a call closer to the time.’

“Thankfully, I’m a little bit older. There was a time when I would’ve been a little bit more stressed or freaked out, but you control what you control. My whole objective coming to the Pirates was show them what I am, and if that works out for them, great. And if it doesn’t, they can send me on my way or send me wherever they want to send me. Fortunately, I’ve had some good outings come around. It ended up being peaceful for me that I didn’t leave anything on the table in camp.”