Pirates' Ryan Borucki aims to emerge as dependable lefty relief option

Ryan Borucki was one strike away from getting the job done.

With two outs, a pair of runners on and the Milwaukee Brewers threatening to score late-game insurance runs, Borucki, taking the mound in the eighth inning, had delivered a pair of strikes to Brice Turang.

But then, disaster struck.

Turang made contact on Borucki’s next pitch, sending a weak grounder into no man’s land – too deep for catcher Austin Hedges to get and too shallow for third baseman Jared Triolo to make a play on.

Borucki, fielding the ball, made a low throw that got past Carlos Santana at first base, ultimately allowing both runners to score.

“The play that Borucki made, that’s a tough play for a left-handed pitcher,” said manager Derek Shelton following the game July 2, a 6-3 Pirates loss.

“It’s a tough play and it’s a tough throw. He got the right pitch. He got strike, swing and miss, essentially a 15-foot ground ball, and that’s a tough play. Obviously, it ended up being a determining factor in the game.”

Borucki’s costly error spoiled what was looking like his third straight scoreless appearance out of the Pirates’ bullpen.

The 29-year-old left-hander, designated for assignment by the Cubs in early May, was signed to a minor-league deal by the Pirates soon thereafter and earned a promotion from Triple-A Indianapolis on June 18.

Armed chiefly with a slider and sinker, as well as a sweeper and changeup, Borucki’s call-up coincided with the Pirates placing Jose Hernandez on the injured list.

Now, he complements Angel Perdomo as the Pirates’ only lefty relievers.

Borucki, a 12th-round draft pick by Toronto in 2012, made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2018, pitching as a starter that season before transitioning to the bullpen.

That year, in 17 starts, Borucki went 4-6 with a 3.87 ERA. His best performance as a reliever came in 2020, when he went 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA over 21 games.

Last season, he split time with Toronto and the Mariners. So far, the Pirates have utilized him in a variety of situations, something Borucki has been fine with.

Through seven appearances with the Pirates, he owns a 6.35 ERA in 5 ⅔ innings of work, with four strikeouts and no walks issued.

“I’ve done everything,” Borucki said. “I’ve been a leverage reliever. I’ve been a lefty specialist, a swing man. I’ve kind of been deployed situationally. I’ve been with Toronto and Seattle and they were big on, if the situation is the best for me, I’ll pitch – fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth.

“The only inning I haven’t really pitched in a leverage spot is the ninth. But I’ve pitched everywhere else. Wherever (the Pirates) need to deploy me and wherever the best matchup is for me, I’ll do whatever.”

In particular, Borucki has shown promise against left-handed batters, who own just a .100 average through 10 plate appearances since he joined the Pirates.

Borucki’s first two outings with the Pirates did not go well, as he allowed earned runs June 19 and 25 against the Cubs and Marlins, recording a lone out in both instances before exiting.

But after his throwing error against Milwaukee, during his next appearance, which came Tuesday in Los Angeles, Borucki flashed some potential against the Dodgers.

Taking the mound with one out in the fifth inning, Borucki struck out lefties David Peralta and Jason Heyward.

He stayed on to record an out in the bottom of the sixth, recording a strikeout of James Outman, another left-handed batter.

He followed that up by working a scoreless seventh inning in a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night.

He hit Max Muncy with a pitch to lead off the inning but responded by striking out J.D. Martinez and getting Peralta to ground into a double play.

“I like throwing sinkers and really crowding those lefties as much as I can because all hitters — nobody really likes the ball in, up close to them,” Borucki said. “That’s kind of been my bread and butter my whole career.”

With fellow lefties Rob Zastryzny, Jarlin Garcia (60-day) and Hernandez all on the injured list, Borucki aims to solidify his role in the bullpen.

“He’s done a nice job,” Shelton said. “Early on in the first couple of appearances, he scattered the ball a little bit and I know we continue to work on some adjustments in terms of where his delivery is at, but especially left on left, he’s been really effective and the slider has really played.”