Kyle Crick has 'driving force' when he takes mound, with possibility as Pirates closer

Through a tumultuous season followed by a difficult offseason, Kyle Crick has found “a driving force” as a relief pitcher whose role could become even more important for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Crick’s rollercoaster 2019 season, which ended with a fractured index finger from a fistfight, was only a prelude to the personal devastation that followed for the 27-year-old right-hander.

Crick’s twin brother, Kevin, died on Dec. 30, from a fall resulting in a cervical injury while vacationing in Cancun. Where Kyle was drafted in the first round out of Sherman (Texas) High School by the San Francisco Giants, Kevin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas Tech’s Rawls School of Business and worked for AT&T.

“When I take the mound, it’s in honor of people now,” Crick said. “It’s a little different than just trying to get people out. I feel like I have a couple more, you know, guardians looking out for me.”

The Pirates are looking for Crick to be a driving force for their bullpen this season, especially after placing closer Keone Kela on the 10-day injured list. Manager Derek Shelton said he is planning to use high-leverage relievers like Crick, Michael Feliz and Richard Rodriguez to fill Kela’s role, rather than name another pitcher the closer.

“Instead of having a setup or closer or whatever,” Shelton said, “we’ll just play by what we feel is the best guy for each situation.”

Crick came to the Pirates as part of the return, along with left fielder Bryan Reynolds, in the trade that sent Andrew McCutchen to the Giants in January 2018. Crick had a pair of saves that season, going 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with two saves in 64 appearances.

Last season, Crick saw batters tee off 10 home runs and his .308 batting average against in August had him wondering how it all went so wrong. Through video review, Crick discovered he had been tipping pitches. That was addressed in the offseason but he no longer has a lock as the setup man and said it “would be pure speculation” to define his role.

Crick’s goal remains the same, no matter which inning he’s pitching.

“It’s putting up a zero,” Crick said. “I don’t care if it’s (via) strikeouts or however you do it, but getting three people out and just shutting the door.”

Crick doesn’t deny that he would love to be the closer some day, looking forward to the idea of getting the final out.

“Those ambitions are are stored in everyone’s head in the bullpen, no matter what your role actually is,” Crick said. “I think it’s all about how you look at it. I’m sure the ninth inning is a little bit more of a rush. It’s the same three-out game that we play, but it’s something I’ve always thought was pretty cool. Getting to shake the catcher’s hand is pretty awesome when the game ends.”

And the Pirates aren’t ruling that out, as general manager Ben Cherington complimented how Crick has overcome adversity and left open the possibility that he could be a candidate to shut the door.

“He had a difficult offseason, off the field, personally, and so, first and foremost, we’ve tried to be as supportive as we can as he’s gone through that,” Cherington said. “We’re excited. He’s a guy that’s got a chance to miss bats. He’s got really good stuff. He wants to pitch toward the end of the game. Excited to see him out there pitching. Encouraged by how he looks.”