Pirates' George Kontos: Struggles continue

Kontos allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in one inning Saturday.

The 32-year-old, who recently lost his eighth-inning role, continues to trend in the wrong direction. Kontos holds a 3.8 K/9 in 18.2 innings. His average fastball velocity has decreased every season since 2015 and sits at 90.2 mph. He's the weak link in Pittsburgh's pen, but with a relatively high salary ($2.7 million in 2018), the thrifty organization will look for ways to right his ship before potentially designating him for assignment.