BRADENTON, Fla. — Paul Skenes grew up a Los Angeles Angels fans, so he’s watched Andrew Heaney pitch for years. When the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to terms with the veteran left-hander, Skenes saw it as a sign that they are committed to creating a winning culture.
Heaney has pitched in six postseason games, including the start for the Texas Rangers in Game 4 of the 2023 World Series, and the 33-year-old has a reputation as an innings eater who posts every fifth day.
“That’s what we need,” Skenes said Friday morning in the clubhouse at Pirate City. “They’ve been very intentional with the guys they’ve brought into the locker room — guys that want to win, know how to win and are willing to do what it takes to win. … So, having more guys that want to win and know how to win is always a good thing.”
Heaney agreed Thursday night to a one-year, $5.25 million contract, pending the passing of a physical. He is expected to join a starting rotation that includes All-Star right-handers in Skenes and Mitch Keller, as well as Jared Jones and lefty Bailey Falter.
“I think it balances it out a lot,” Keller said. “You could go righty, lefty, righty, lefty for a series. It’s tough for an opposing team to match up with that. It puts more advantage on our side for matchup reasons. And his stuff is great. That’s what’s exciting about it.”
Heaney has a career 51-62 record with a 4.45 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 203 games (185 starts) over 11 seasons with the Miami Marlins, Angels, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Rangers.
Pirates lefty Caleb Ferguson, who played with Heaney on the Angels, called him a “good pitcher” and emphasized his postseason experience with the Dodgers and Rangers.
“Just a veteran arm that has a history of being a good starter in the major leagues and somebody that I think is going to be very beneficial to the young guys on this staff,” Ferguson said. “He’s played in the biggest markets and some of the smaller markets. I think the experience that he has being around as long as he’s had is going to be very beneficial.”
Heaney’s repertoire features a four-seam fastball with rise that he threw on 50% of his pitches last season, averages 91.5 mph but held hitters to a .230 batting average. His slider generated a 36.5% whiff rate and serves as his putaway pitch, complemented by a changeup that hitters batted .239 against. He also sprinkles in a curveball and sinker.
Heaney signed a two-year, $25 million deal with Texas, and was 15-20 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 66 games the past two seasons. He won a career-high 10 games and had a team-best 159 strikeouts in 2023, when he tied an American League record with nine consecutive strikeouts against the Kansas City Royals in an 11-2 win April 10. Last season, Heaney was 5-14 with a 4.28 ERA in 32 games (31 starts).
“The best ability is availability,” Skenes said, “so staying on the field and pitching and pitching at a high level, that’s just putting us in position to win.”
Heaney also has worked out of the bullpen, including in the Rangers’ World Series run. He got the final out in Game 6 of the ALCS against Houston and threw two-thirds of an inning in the Game 2 loss in the World Series. He earned the victory with his Game 4 start, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in five innings of an 11-7 win that gave the Rangers a 3-1 series lead.
“It’s huge,” Keller said. “It’s something we don’t have in our group. Any experience we can have in how to get there and (win) once we get there, to have that experience is huge.”