MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates 2019 Season: Pitching
This year the Pirates will look to make a splash in the National League (NL) Central division. One way that will happen is if the Pirates pitching can uphold its end of the bargain. Last season, the Pirates found some strong pitchers in Jameson Taillon and Trevor Williams that provided some excitement for the future.
At the trade deadline last July, Pirates’ General Manager Neil Huntington pulled a nice trade with the Tampa Bay Rays which sent Austin Meadows along with others to Tampa in exchange for Chris Archer. This past off-season, the Pirates also acquired Jordan Lyles on a one-year deal. Let’s take a look at how this five man rotation should look.
Pitching Rotation
The Ace- Jameson Taillon has already been dubbed opening day starter and the ace of this staff. Last season, Taillon appeared in 32 games and had a record of 14 wins and 10 losses. He also had a 3.20 ERA along with two complete games and one shutout. Taillon was nine innings shy of pitching 200 (he had 191 innings pitched).
Taillon’s experience and leadership will be pivotal for the Pirates this upcoming season. Chris Archer and Trevor Williams will have a veteran to look at whose arsenal can be lethal when he’s on his game.
Second Starter- Chris Archer provides some young but talented experience in the second spot and could be considered a second ace down the line. Archer is only 30 years old. However, in Archer’s career, he does have a losing record as a pitcher. Last season with Tampa Bay, Archer had a record of 3-5 with a 4.31 ERA and a WHIP of 1.39. When Archer was traded to the Pirates, his numbers didn’t fare much better as he went 3-3 with an ERA of 4.30 and a WHIP of 1.36.
Part of Archer’s numbers were due to the fact that he was in the AL East for the first half of the season. Perhaps a full year under his belt in the NL Central will provide a different story.
Third Starter- Trevor Williams has secured the third spot in the rotation. Some may argue that he should be the second starter. In 31 games in 2018, Williams had 14 wins and 10 losses with a 3.11 ERA and a WHIP of 1.18. Williams is only 26 years old.
Williams should provide an uplift for this Pirates pitching rotation. With Williams in one of the top three slots, the Pirates have a chance to have three solid starters in the rotation.
Fourth Starter- This spot will belong to Joe Musgrove. Musgrove, who is 26, will look to get a fresh start with the Pirates. Last season, in 19 games, Musgrove had 6 wins and 9 losses with a 4.06 ERA along with a WHIP of 1.18. For his career, Musgrove has a career record of 17-21 with a 4.33 ERA and a WHIP of 1.24.
Musgrove looks to get back on track this season and hopefully Ray Searage can have the type of influence.
Fifth Starter- This spot was once unclear. However, Jordan Lyles will probably land this spot in the rotation. Last season, Lyles split time with the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers. With San Diego, Lyles went 2-4 with a 4.29 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. With the Brewers, Lyles went 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.
Conclusion
The Pirates will enter this season with a young but experienced pitching rotation. The top three starters in Jameson Taillon, Chris Archer and Trevor Williams will look to lead the pack the entire season. Only time will tell how it all pans out in the competitive NL Central.
Photo Credit to Smash Down Sports News via Flickr
