CHICAGO -- Since the first day "piggybacking" starters entered the conversation, manager Derek Shelton made it clear that if the Pirates did it in a game, they were sticking with it. Each pitcher had a limit and they would be taken out once they reached it, even if they had a perfect game going.
That happened Sunday in the Pirates' 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Cubs. Steven Brault was perfect through three innings, and looked pretty darn good doing it, too, striking out four and getting plenty of soft contact.
However, after his two-inning appearance in his last outing on Monday -- which was due to the rain -- Shelton did not want him to go longer than three innings.
"We knew exactly where he was going to be at," Shelton said afterward.
Three innings was as far as Brault had been stretched out to during summer camp.
Shelton said that he, Brault and Chad Kuhl, Brault's piggyback partner thus far, talked about this very scenario back when piggybacking was first brought up.
Brault said he was OK with the decision.
"I understand Shelty’s trying to keep me healthy, trying to build me up," Brault said. "I’m totally down [with it]. I want to be a starter. I know he knows that. I feel like I'd rather be safe and make sure I don't aggravate anything."
Brault actually threw more pitches (37) in his two-inning outing than he did on Sunday (35), but he wasn't the only factor in the equation. Kuhl had already started to get warm in the bullpen and was preparing to enter in the fourth inning regardless.
"When you tell the second guy who has been trained as a starter that he’s going to get the fourth inning, he’s already started his ramp-up work and we don’t want anything to come in there," Shelton said.
Brault said postgame that he was once taken out mid no-hit bid because he had reached his pitch count limit. This is a far bigger stage, but the same principle applies: Pitcher health is paramount, especially this season.
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