Carson Kelly reached base in all four of his plate appearances Friday, but it was not enough to keep the Cubs from a 2-0 loss to the Pirates. Kelly went 1-for-1 with three walks in the defeat.
The performance pushed Kelly's season on-base percentage to.425 through 11 contests and lifted his batting average to.303. He is now 10-for-33 with four runs scored, two doubles and three runs batted in.
The numbers have come while Chicago is carrying three catchers. Miguel Amaya is serving as the backup catcher, while Moises Ballesteros is also getting at-bats as a designated hitter. Kelly typically plays two out of every three games, a workload that has kept his bat in the lineup without making him an everyday catcher.
For the Cubs, the loss was a reminder that even a night with Kelly consistently reaching base can still end without runs on the board. For Kelly, the early returns suggest a hitter giving Chicago steady production in a role built for rhythm, not rest.