PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates have been looking for opportunities to use left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo, believing he'll improve but not wanting to thrust him into high-leverage situations with the game on the line.
One problem: There haven't been any of those situations lately.
"There's been zero," manager Clint Hurdle said. "With the games the way they've been right now, he hasn't been an option."
Since Bastardo's last outing, the Pirates have won four games and lost four by a combined margin of four runs. Aside from Tyler Glasnow, Pittsburgh's starters have been pitching deep into games; that doesn't figure to change with Jameson Taillon starting Saturday and Ivan Nova on Sunday.