Perrotto: Home run stroke now in Pirates backup Joey Wentz’s past

Joey Wentz has never played in a major league game and likely never will.

Major League Baseball adopted the universal designated hitter rule in 2022, the same year the left-handed pitcher broke into the big leagues with the Detroit Tigers. So Wentz, whom the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired from the Tigers on Sept. 3, is no longer even taking batting practice.

Too bad. It would have been cool to see what Wentz, at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, could do with a bat in his hand.

Wentz won the 2015 Junior Home Run Derby during the All-Star Game festivities at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati before his senior year at Shawnee Mission East, Kansas, with the winning shot traveling 543 feet.

Cincinnati has long been a home run haven. But 543 feet is impressive anywhere, especially for a 17-year-old.

When asked about that night in Cincinnati, Wentz smiled and said 543 feet isn’t necessarily an indication of his power.

“I don’t know if that number is accurate,” Wentz said. “Either the ball was inflated, or the meter was inflated, or something was wrong. It’s cool to be an amateur, to be in some of the stadiums where the best players in the world play. Being in the big leagues now, it’s cool to look back.”

Wentz has made it clear to pro scouts that he wants to be a full-time pitcher. He’s been good enough in the outfield that the Atlanta Braves selected Wentz with the 40th overall pick.^t overall pick in the additional first round of the 2016 amateur draft.

“I think I was a better pitcher than I was a player during the game,” Wentz said. “I always liked throwing more than hitting, and that’s what I spent my time and attention on. That’s what I wanted to do. I always thought my talent was best suited to throwing.”

Wentz, 26, is a major league reliever with the Pirates, so it’s hard to argue with his selection.

The Braves traded Wentz to the Tigers in 2019 as part of a trade for pitcher Shane Greene. Wentz then spent parts of three up-and-down seasons in the major leagues with Detroit, starting in 2022.

Wentz debuted, going 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA in seven starts. But he struggled last season with a 3-13 record and a 6.90 ERA in 25 games, including 19 starts. This season, Wentz appeared in 38 games as a reliever for the Tigers and was 0-2 with his first career save and a 5.37 ERA.

The Pirates are intrigued by Wentz’s potential, however, and are willing to take a look at him at the end of the season to determine if he will fit into the bullpen for 2025.

Wentz has pitched twice since being claimed. He struck out just one of the five batters he faced in a Sept. 5 win over the Washington Nationals and was charged with one run. He earned a win Tuesday, allowing one run in 2.2 innings against the Miami Marlins.

“I’m really enjoying myself here,” Wentz said. “I was really happy when I found out I was coming here. I’ve played against a lot of these guys in the majors and a lot of them in the minors, and there’s a ton of talent here.

“I feel really good about it. Obviously, it’s nice to have a clean slate. Detroit was a little up and down. I’m still trying to get better and contribute to the team. I’m looking forward to a fresh start and throwing some good innings.”

But it would also be nice to see Wentz get a rebound at least once.