CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 27: Blake Cederlind #62 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on September 27, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Pittsburgh 8-6. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
For years, the Pittsburgh Pirates prided themselves with a strong bullpen,. However, for 2021, there could be uncertainty in the 9th inning.
Last year, the Pittsburgh Pirates essentially thrusted Richard Rodriguez into a closing role. Keone Kela pitched just 3 innings after missing most of the first half of 2020 recovering from COVID-19, and then missed essentially the second half of 2020 with a forearm injury.