Pirates’ Shelton Focused On Improvement

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton says he’s worried about his team improving and not the predictions of a bumpy 2021 for the Pirates. Pittsburgh finished with the worst record in the majors during the truncated 2020 season. The team spent most of the offseason flipping established veterans like first baseman Josh Bell for young prospects. Shelton says he and general manager Ben Cherington are in “alignment” when it comes to the club’s blueprint for success and he is confident the Pirates will become winners at some point down the road.  Meanwhile, the Pirates are closing in on a one-year deal with left-handed pitcher Tyler Anderson. The deal, which won’t be complete until Anderson passes a physical, is worth $2.5 million. The 31-year-old Anderson went 4-3 with a 4.37 ERA last season while pitching for San Francisco. Anderson, who spent the first four years of his career with Colorado, is 22-27 with a 4.65 ERA in 86 games (82 starts) with the Rockies and the Giants.