Jose Osuna, one of the Pirates' top hitters for much of spring training, was recalled from Triple-A Wednesday to serve as the club's 26th man for the second game of a doubleheader against the Tigers; however, a roster move with greater implications has yet to be decided.
The Pirates' fourth postponement in under one month forced Jameson Taillon and Chad Kuhl to pitch each game of the doubleheader, leaving the team without a starter against the Cardinals at PNC Park on Sunday afternoon. Clint Hurdle was mum when asked who would fill that void, although he indicated there are a few candidates for the spot start.
"We’ve got some names," Hurdle said. "Speculation is wide open. Check the travel logs or whatever you want to do. We’ve got some guys that will be either available before that date or on that date before they pitch."
The logical choice would be right-hander Nick Kingham, a 26-year-old who has yet to make his major-league debut. Kingham, who underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2015, has a 1.59 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 22 2/3 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis this season.
A fourth-round draft pick in 2010, Kingham has 27 strikeouts to seven walks and opponents are batting only .190 against him. He's also on the 40-man roster, which makes a roster move simple, and he has not started since Sunday, when he struck out six and walked three in 5 2/3 innings against Charlotte — one of the more talented teams in the International League.
A less likely candidate is Tyler Eppler, a 25-year-old right-hander who has a 1.93 ERA in 18 2/3 innings for Indianapolis. Eppler had a strong start to last season, but he finished with a 4.89 ERA in 21 starts. He pitched for the Indians on Tuesday night, providing him with just enough rest for a possible spot start.
The Pirates also could give Tyler Glasnow another audition as a starter. Glasnow, 24, has a 5.86 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 12 1/3 innings out of the club's bullpen; however, he has held opponents to a .208 batting average and is averaging 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings. He has not pitched since Thursday in Philadelphia, when he threw 73 pitches in 3 2/3 innings after Taillon was pulled with two outs in the second inning.
Such a scenario is unlikely, since the Pirates will likely need Glasnow in relief sometime between now and Sunday. They only have three relievers who have proven capable of throwing multiple innings — Edgar Santana and Richard Rodriguez are the other two — and Hurdle has spoken repeatedly of wanting to give Glasnow the opportunity to settle into his bullpen role before making any adjustments to how he is used.
Joe Musgrove, the right-handed starting pitcher acquired from the Astros in the Gerrit Cole trade, threw a two-inning simulated game Wednesday against live hitters, but he will need at least one rehab start and might not be activated from the disabled list for two weeks.
"It went really well," Musgrove said of his simulated game. "It was really encouraging. I didn't feel like there was any abnormality in the way I was moving and the things I was doing. The ball was coming out clean. The velo was in a decent range. ... It was a really good step forward for me."
Osuna, 25, was batting .333/.404/.533 with 15 hits in 45 at-bats for Indianapolis. He has one home run with eight RBIs and six doubles playing 12 of his 13 games at third base, but Hurdle indicated Osuna will start in right field during the second game of the doubleheader with left-hander Matthew Boyd on the mound for the Tigers.
Osuna is batting .462 against left-handers this season, yet he has played only nine innings in right field and spent most of spring training at either third or first base. He told reporters he has been working at third, first and right field before each game, but the Indians had five games postponed, and inclement weather often prevented them from getting ample work on the field, especially during trips to Buffalo and Syracuse.
Osuna did not make the opening day roster despite having another outstanding spring. He batted .327/.370/.673 with a team-high five home runs and 16 RBIs. The club opted to keep eight relievers with four scheduled off days in the first month of the season, giving Osuna an opportunity for more playing time at Triple-A.
"It was very tough in the beginning, especially because I love this team, I want to perform up here," Osuna said through team interpreter Mike Gonzalez. "I want to help this team win as much as I can, but right away, through the frustration I had, I readjusted my mentality because I have to keep working. I have to make sure I’m being the Pirate I need to be and that my focus is where it needs to be at."
Osuna's stay will last only one day, but Hurdle said the plan is for him to begin seeing more time at different positions in Triple-A to prepare him for a possible call-up. The Pirates wanted Osuna to play third base as much as possible early in the season, since it was unlikely there would be a need for an additional bat in the majors.
He committed one error in 26 chances at third with Indianapolis, but Hurdle expressed confidence in his ability to play the position in the major leagues.
"He’s working. That’s the only position he’s played, so in the second game when you see him running out to right field, he’s not lost. That’s where he’s going to go, because it fits for our second-game lineup best. He continues to work. It’s going to be a fit. … I don’t think we have any reservations about him being able to be a guy sooner than later. ... You have to play at third base in the major leagues to see how it takes, see what happens, how it takes hold and where it goes. Those reservation days, we’re past those. Now it’s going to be about opportunity."