Pirates’ Next Closer? Lefty Montgomery Unleashes Electric Heat
From Starter to Stopper: How Mason Montgomery Became the Pirates’ Secret Weapon
The Kid Who Throws "Absolute Noise"
Imagine a left-handed pitcher who can throw a baseball 100 miles per hour. Now imagine he does it with a calm, bored look on his face—like he’s just picking up groceries. That’s Mason Montgomery.
At 26 years old, this Texan has taken the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen by storm. He’s not just a thrower; he’s a pitcher. And the difference matters.
IMPORTANT POINT
Thrower vs. Pitcher: A thrower just tries to chuck the ball as hard as possible. A pitcher thinks about location, mixes speeds, reads hitters, and sets traps. Montgomery has made this leap.
The Journey: From "Erratic Starter" to "Elite Reliever"
The Early Days: A Diamond in the Rough
- 2024 Spring: Montgomery was a starter at Triple-A Durham (Tampa Bay’s affiliate)
- Teammate Brandon Lowe remembers: "Good stuff, mid-90s fastball, but inconsistent control"
- Jake Mangum (teammate at three stops): "He didn’t have command. He couldn’t throw it where he wanted to"
The Transformation
- Moved to the bullpen — shorter outings, max effort every pitch
- Velocity spiked — from mid-90s to triple digits (100+ mph)
- Developed secondary pitches — curveball, slider, sinker, occasional changeup
- Learned to pitch — not just throw hard, but locate and sequence pitches
- Traded to Pittsburgh — three-team deal bringing Lowe, Montgomery, and Mangum to the Pirates
What Makes His Stuff So Special?
The "Electric" Arsenal (Baseball Savant Percentiles)
| Pitch | Velocity | Key Stat | Why It’s Nasty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four-Seam Fastball | 98.5 mph (94th %ile) | Putaway pitch | "Blowing cheese from the left side" |
| Sinker | ~100 mph | .105 batting average against, 38.2% whiff rate | Looks like fastball, drops at last second |
| Curveball | — | Strikeout weapon on 3-2 counts | Freezes elite hitters like Adley Rutschman |
| Slider | — | Tunnel off fastball | Keeps hitters guessing |
The Numbers Don’t Lie (Since July 11)
- Record: 3-0
- ERA: 1.26
- Saves: 5
- Strikeouts: 29 in 14⅓ innings
- Walks: Only 5 (2 intentional)
- Ninth-inning ERA: 1.74 with 21 Ks vs. 3 walks in 10⅓ IP
- Opponent batting average in 9th: .162
IMPORTANT POINT
Command Improvement: Montgomery cut his walks per 9 innings from 5.3 → 3.8. His secret? "Picking a spot and throwing 100% effort toward that spot." No more "trying to throw as hard as I could."
The Closer’s Mindset: Ice in His Veins
The "Even-Keeled" Assassin
- In clubhouse: Joking, loose, normal guy
- On mound (9th inning): Zero emotion, laser focus
- Brandon Lowe: "He’s not psychotic or screaming. The ship’s not rocking in any direction."
- Mason himself: "I try to treat it the same. If I make it a bigger deal, I might change something subconsciously."
High-Pressure Moments? No Problem.
July 5 @ Nationals: Bases loaded, no outs, 1-run lead in 5th inning
→ Allowed 1 run (sac fly), then struck out Daylen Lile, got Dylan Crews to fly out
Aug 14 vs Red Sox: Bases loaded, 2 outs, 4-run lead, Adley Rutschman (former #1 pick) at plate
→ Five straight sinkers (98-100 mph), then curveball on 3-2 for strikeout
Aug 20 vs Tigers: 2 singles, runners on 2nd/3rd, 1-run game
→ 100.2 mph sinker K, touched 100 three times, groundout to end it
Manager Don Kelly: "Throwing a breaking ball on 3-2 count? That’s elite."
Why Teammates Love Him
The Ultimate Teammate
- Ready for anything: 1st inning, 5th, 9th, extra innings
- No ego: Took over Andrew McCutchen’s old locker without fuss
- Fun walk-out song: Switched from Eminem to Avery Anna’s "No More Tears" (catcher Henry Davis’s idea)
- Luke Weaver (All-Star reliever): "If you blinked and watched him, you’d say ‘Oh my gosh.’ Not every day people blow cheese from the left side."
Catcher Rafael Flores Jr. puts it best:
"A lefty throwing absolute noise — a 100 four-seam, a 100 sinker. Good luck. That’s what I tell hitters: good luck."
The Big Picture: Pirates’ Bullpen Makeover
Despite adding three proven veterans at the trade deadline:
- Camilo Doval (former All-Star closer)
- Kirby Yates (former All-Star closer)
- Luke Weaver (elite high-leverage arm)
Montgomery has emerged as the closer. Why? Because right now, he’s simply the best option for the hardest three outs in baseball.
Summary
| What Happened | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Starter → Reliever conversion | Unlocked max velocity (100+ mph) |
| Developed curveball/slider/sinker | Became a complete pitcher, not just thrower |
| Improved command (BB/9: 5.3→3.8) | Can locate 100 mph heat where he wants |
| Ice-cold demeanor under pressure | Perfect closer mentality — doesn’t speed up |
| Dominant since July 11 (1.26 ERA) | Earned closer role over big-name veterans |
Bottom line: Mason Montgomery combined elite raw stuff with smart pitch development and a pressure-proof personality. The result? A homegrown closer who makes hitting look impossible.
FAQ
How fast does Mason Montgomery actually throw?
His four-seam fastball averages 98.5 mph (94th percentile in MLB), but he regularly hits 100-100.2 mph with both his four-seamer and sinker. That’s elite velocity from the left side.
What changed when he moved to the bullpen?
As a starter, he had to pace himself for 5-6 innings. In the bullpen, he can go max effort every pitch for 1-2 innings. This unlocked his triple-digit velocity and let him focus on mastering 2-3 pitches instead of 4-5.
Why is his sinker so special?
Most sinkers sit 92-96 mph. Montgomery’s sits 98-100 mph with 18 inches of vertical break. Hitters see "fastball," swing on that plane, and the ball drops under their bats. Result: .105 average against, 38% whiff rate.
Is he really the closer over Doval, Yates, and Weaver?
Right now, yes. Manager Don Kelly has used him in the highest-leverage spots (ninth inning, bases loaded, tie games). His 1.74 ninth-inning ERA and 21 Ks in 10⅓ IP speak louder than reputation. The veterans are still valuable — but Montgomery has the hot hand.
What’s his "secret" to handling pressure?
Routine. He treats every outing the same — same warmup, same breathing, same mindset. "If I make it a bigger deal, I might change something subconsciously." Boring? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.