CHICAGO — With three off-days over the next week, the Pirates made a roster move to add a bench bat and subtract one of their five starting pitchers. Nick Kingham, the right-handed starter who had a perfect game through 6 2/3 innings in his major league debut, was optioned to Triple-A Monday afternoon, and the club recalled infielder/outfielder Jose Osuna.
Kingham, 26, allowed four earned runs with 16 strikeouts to one walk in his two starts for the Pirates; however, there wasn't a need for a fifth starter over the next 10 days. Osuna can play first base, third base and right field, and he's been one of the top hitters in the minor leagues over the past five weeks.
Osuna, 25, was batting .359/.409/.628 with three home runs, 12 doubles, 16 runs and 18 RBIs in 23 games. He was named the International League Player of the Month for April and hit a three-run homer for the Pirates when recalled as the 26th man for a doubleheader against the Tigers on April 25.
He has played 17 games at third base and four in right field, and he is likely to play right field or serve as the designated hitter in one of the Pirates' two games against the White Sox on Tuesday and Wednesday. After all, Gregory Polanco is batting only .177/283/.266 with 20 strikeouts and only four extra-base hits over his last 21 games.
Ivan Nova is scheduled to start Tuesday, followed by Trevor Williams on Wednesday. The Pirates have yet to announce their probable starters for a weekend series against the Giants at PNC Park, although Clint Hurdle said a decision would be made prior to the first game of their series in Chicago.
Kingham's demotion means Taillon will likely start Friday, followed by Chad Kuhl Saturday and Nova in the series finale Sunday. Neal Huntington said during his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan the team would prefer to not make any of its starters pitch on an additional day of rest.
With three long relievers in the bullpen — Tyler Glasnow, Steven Brault and Richard Rodriguez — the Pirates can afford to go with a four-man rotation and seven-man bullpen. They will require a fifth starter on May 19 and since Joe Musgrove is unlikely to be off the disabled list by then, Kingham can be recalled in time to make that start against the Padres.
Kingham retired the first 20 batters he faced in his debut against the Cardinals at PNC Park on April 29, and he allowed only one hit in seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts to zero walks. Although he gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Brewers on Friday, Hurdle called it a "very good start."