Archer pumped for Pittsburgh arrival, debut taken at PNC Park (Courtesy of StepOutside.org)

Chris Archer addresses the media during a news conference Wednesday at PNC Park. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS

Chris Archer is endearing himself to fans in his new home before he's even thrown a pitch in a Pirates uniform. Archer, the club's prized acquisition at the non-waiver trade deadline, arrived at PNC Park Wednesday afternoon wearing an Antonio Brown Steelers jersey and spoke fondly of the "blue collar city."

A 29-year-old starting pitcher and two-time All-Star, he won't step onto the mound here until Friday night, when he'll start the first of a three-game series against the division-rival Cardinals. He'll do so wearing No. 24, rather than 22, the number he's worn his entire career, out of "respect" for Andrew McCutchen.

"He's what I aspire to be," Archer said fondly during his introductory news conference. While he warms up, "Black and Yellow," a song by Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa, will play over the ballpark's sound system, and his mother, Sonya, a Steelers fan, will be in attendance. After three years of trade rumors and uncertainty, Archer hopes to have finally found stability and a long-term home.

"Having your name floated around is tough, but from hearing the way these guys talk about me and what they’ve told me, this is for now and for the future," Archer said, while wearing a Pirates bandana to hold back his dreadlocks. "The future looks very, very bright here. I’m excited to be a part of it, and I’m excited to be playing meaningful baseball again."

Archer thought a trade was inevitable. He'd heard the rumors for three consecutive trade deadlines since he signed a six-year contract extension with the Rays in 2014. They hadn't finished over .500 since 2013, when they won only one game in the ALDS against the Red Sox.

The franchise had traded many of its veterans over the past five years. This past offseason, it parted with much of its core, including Corey Dickerson, a close friend of Archer's who was traded to the Pirates for Daniel Hudson, a minor-league shortstop and cash. Archer was thought to be the prize at this year's trade deadline  — a frontline starting pitcher under contract through 2021.

The Braves, equipped with one of the majors' deepest farm systems, were thought to be the favorite. Archer hadn't heard the rumors, though. He stayed off social media and stopped watching MLB Network. The right-hander was scheduled to start against the Angels Wednesday night, but it all became a reality when he was called into manager Kevin Cash's office moments before the deadline Tuesday afternoon.

Then Huntington called, expressing excitement to have finally landed Archer after a pursuit that began in 2007. He was hopeful Archer could arrive in Pittsburgh in time to pitch against the Cubs Wednesday night. Archer asked to wait until Friday, so his family and friends could make the trip.

"I didn't know how interested the Pirates were in me until I heard in Neal's voice the passion and the joy, the excitement that was there to have me on board," Archer said. "Then not too long after I got a call from ownership, you don't get a lot of phone calls from ownership. ... It's energizing. I heard a lot of good things from Corey Dickerson, who I played with in the past. Heard a lot of things from Josh Harrison, Sean Rodriguez, these were all my former teammates who I'd trusted and confided in. And when they told me this place was special, I believed it."

Clint Hurdle said: "You put him in the rotation with the experience he's got, it makes us stronger."

Archer left a team that was 20 games out of first for one that is six back in the Central Division and only three behind in the Wild Card chase. The Pirates, 56-53 entering Wednesday night, have won 16 of their last 20 games, producing the best record in baseball since July 8. Their pitching staff has a 2.81 ERA over its past 21 games — the rotation has a 2.83 ERA in the past 17 — and it's now adding Archer, as well as Keone Kela, a reliever acquired from the Rangers.

Archer had a 4.31 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with 102 strikeouts in 96 innings over 17 starts for the Rays this season. However, his 3.62 xFIP — field independent pitching, which accounts for the ballpark and league — and .343 batting average on balls in play suggest he’s pitched much better than numbers would indicate.

He's pitched at least 200 innings with 200 strikeouts for three consecutive seasons, and is fifth in the majors in strikeouts over the past four seasons. Over the last five years, Archer ranks 10th among all pitchers with 905 innings. Huntington said Tuesday Archer is "still an upper-echelon top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher," based on reports by the Pirates' analytics and scouting staff.

Archer blamed his 6.61 ERA in April for those surface numbers and was optimistic he's returned to form:

"It's been a while since I played winning, meaningful baseball," Archer said. "And that's why you play, to win. There's different phases. You become a big leaguer and you're content and you have a little success and I'm in the phase where I want to win and I think I'm in the right environment to do that and the commitment from the ownership and the front office is to win."

Huntington is hopeful the Pirates' staff can help Archer be a dominant pitcher again. Like Kela, Archer is under contract next year, too, and he has club options for 2020 and 2021. While he was a catalyst in the Rays' playoff run as a 24-year-old in 2013, he hopes to do the same as a veteran in black and yellow.

Archer had a 1.18 WHIP and 562 strikeouts in his first three-plus seasons in the majors, finishing fifth in Cy Young voting in 2015. He spoke of wanting to impact a young pitching staff, the entire clubhouse and in his new home.

"I know one of the sayings for a long time here has been, ‘We are family,’" Archer said. "And I already feel like a part of the family.”

MATT SUNDAY GALLERY

Chris Archer arrives in Pittsburgh, PNC Park, Aug. 1, 2018. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS

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