SARASOTA, Fla. – Spring training is over for the Pirates. At least, the Florida version.
The Pirates and Orioles played to a 1-1 tie in a Grapefruit League game Sunday at Ed Smith Stadium, then headed to the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport for a flight to Houston, where they will conclude the exhibition season with a two-game series against the Astros, Monday night and Tuesday afternoon.
Thursday afternoon, the Pirates will open the regular season against the Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
The Pirates went 14-14 in the Florida portion of their preseason schedule with three ties. Clint Hurdle doesn’t care much about spring training results, but he did like the process of camp.
“I am pleased with the effort and energy the players brought,” Hurdle said before the game. “The vibe has been consistent from these guys. They have been focused and their work has been consistent. They have been having fun, as well. I think this has been a well-run camp by the coaching staff. The players have showed up professionally.”
The players are anxious to start playing some games that matter after spending six weeks on the Gulf Coast.
“I think everybody is ready to get going,” Adam Frazier said. “It’s been a long few weeks. It’s time to get out of here and play some games that count. We’re ready to roll.”
• Jung Ho Kang accounted for the Pirates’ run with a one-out home run in the first inning off Andrew Cashner. It was Kang’s seventh homer of the spring.
Trevor Williams started and pitched three scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, struck out two and walked none. Nick Kingham followed with three shutout innings and Steven Brault allowed one run in three innings.
Kingham and Brault are technically still competing with Jordan Lyles for the fifth starter’s spot. However, it has become abundantly clear that Lyles will be the guy, barring injury between now and Thursday.
• Starling Marte missed his third straight game with lower back stiffness. However, he is tentatively scheduled to return to the lineup Monday night and said he feels fine.
Jacob Stallings was back in the lineup after missing three games with neck tightness. He will begin the season as the backup catcher while Elias Diaz regains strength after missing more than two weeks of camp because of a virus.
• Hurdle said that Josh Bell will be the cleanup hitter to begin the season despite the switch-hitting first baseman having struggled this spring. Bell is hitting just .200 (10-for-50) this spring with two doubles and two home runs.
• It will be a bullpen game for the Pirates on Monday night as Richard Rodriguez, Felipe Vazquez, Keone Kela, Kyle Crick and Nick Burdi will pitch. Top prospect Forrest Whitley will start for the Astros.
PERROTTO’S VIEWS
The last day of spring training is always a weird feeling. Everyone is in the same place for six weeks and it’s a baseball-intensive time with few distractions. Then, poof, it’s over, kind of like the end of a long field trip.
Though Williams pitched just three innings, he looks ready to go for his first regular-season start Saturday at Cincinnati.
The only problem Williams might be facing is the unreasonable expectations of some people who think he can duplicate his 1.38 ERA from the second half of last season. Even if Walter Johnson came back from the beyond, he could not be reasonably expected to perform like that.
Kingham was sharp and is likely next in line to join the rotation if Lyles falters or one of the other four starters are injured.