Keone Kela Earns Closer Role For Start Of 2020 Season
5 years agoPittsburgh Pirates pitcher Keone Kela has earned the closer role for the start of the 2020 season, as stated by Pirates manager Derek Shelton. Kela doesn't have all that much competition, but for the manager to name him the closer after just one workout has to be great news in terms of how his offseason work went. In 2018 as a closer for the Rangers, he went 24 for 25 in saves, and in 2019 as an eighth-inning reliever with the Pirates, he had a 2.12 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and averaged about 1.11 strikeouts per inning. Kela could have a long leash as Pittsburgh's closer, but his ceiling will be lower than most on a rebuilding Pirates club.
Source: MLB.com- Adam Berry
Source: MLB.com- Adam Berry