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Pirates confident in Watson as new closer
- Updated: July 31, 2016
MILWAUKEE — One reason the Pirates felt comfortable trading their former closer, Mark Melancon, on Saturday: They like their new closer quite a bit, too.
Left-hander Tony Watson will take over the ninth inning for the Pirates, manager Clint Hurdle said, after they traded Melancon to the Nationals for reliever Felipe Rivero and pitching prospect Taylor Hearn. Neftali Feliz will assume Watson’s setup duties in the eighth inning, and the newly acquired Rivero will pitch the seventh.
The Pirates did not hesitate to name Watson the new closer. General manager Neal Huntington announced the new bullpen setup while explaining the Melancon trade, and Hurdle confirmed the plan before Saturday’s game at Miller Park.
On his way to join the Nationals, Melancon strongly endorsed Watson as his replacement.
“Without a doubt, he’s going to be awesome. Tony’s a stud,” Melancon said. “The Pirates have no worries with Tony out there. He’s an absolute beast. He’s a competitor, and he’s a student of the game.”
Watson has been one of the game’s best eighth-inning relievers for years, posting a 2.08 ERA and …
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