CHICAGO -- Opening day has finally arrived for the Pirates. As the players begin to take batting practice, get caught up on what landed these 26 Pirates at Wrigley Field.
Derek Shelton announced earlier that right-hander Chad Kuhl will be the opening day starter against Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks in Thursday’s opener. Kuhl was named the opening day starter in the wake of a Steven Brault lat strain that should sideline the southpaw until at least June. Brault was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Tyler Anderson pitches Saturday and Mitch Keller follows Sunday. JT Brubaker figures to pitch the first game of the following series in Cincinnati. And if the club decides not to take advantage of the off day, Trevor Cahill will likely be the starter to follow Brubaker.
Kyle Crick will likely be an important figure in the Pirates’ bullpen throughout the season, but he will not be on the opening day roster following the birth of his child. Crick will start the regular season on the COVID-IL, which is only related to the intake process he must go through upon returning to the team. He’s obviously expected back on the major-league roster when he returns, which will force the Pirates to make a decision in the bullpen eventually.
Next to Crick, Richard Rodriguez and Chris Stratton were really the only locks to make the team entering spring. Sam Howard beat out Chasen Shreve for the lefty reliever role in the bullpen. Michael Feliz and Clay Holmes are the final remaining members of the bullpen group to carry over from last year. Holmes was limited to just 1.1 innings with a forearm strain last year and was added to the roster Thursday.
Veteran trade acquisition Duane Underwood Jr. also made the club, along with two younger right-handers also acquired via trade in David Bednar and Wil Crowe. Bednar, a Mars, Pa. native, made the team out of camp after striking out 18 over 8.2 scoreless innings this spring.
Luis Oviedo, a Rule 5 draft pick, is also on the opening day roster. Shelton mentioned Oviedo, Crowe and Underwood as relievers that could provide multiple innings, should they have to go to the bullpen early.
The lineup had already been announced with very few surprises. That group is composed exclusively of 2020 carry overs, though the spring indicated that there’d be progress with the bats. It wouldn’t take much to be better offensively than last year’s club.
Michael Perez won the backup catcher job against Tony Wolters, who opted out and signed a major league deal with the Cubs on Wednesday. Dustin Fowler beat out Brian Goodwin for the fourth outfielder spot. Erik Gonzalez is the middle infielder on the bench after some competition with Wilmer Difo. Phillip Evans will occupy the final spot on the bench and play both corner outfield and infield spots with some chances at second base. That defensive versatility, combined with a .361 average in the spring, allowed him to beat out Todd Frazier for a spot on the roster.
Frazier signed a new minor-league deal with the club Tuesday after opting out of his original pact last week. Goodwin was reassigned to minor-league camp.
Difo was also placed on the taxi squad with Shreve. Joining that group will be young infielder Rodolfo Castro, right-hander Sean Poppen and catcher Andrew Susac.
Left-hander Austin Davis, righties Cody Ponce, Jose Soriano and Blake Cederlind will join Brault, and temporarily Crick, on the injured list. Ponce is on the 10-day IL while Soriano is on the 60-day IL. Cederlind underwent Tommy John surgery during spring training and will not be available all season. Soriano, another Rule 5 pick, will also have to remain on the roster when he returns, but his 60-day clock to be eligible to return begins Thursday.
Here’s a full list of the roster for the opener:
PITCHERS (14)
Kuhl, Anderson, Keller, Brubaker, Cahill, Rodriguez, Stratton, Howard, Feliz, Underwood, Bednar, Crowe, Oviedo and Holmes.
CATCHERS (2)
Jacob Stallings and Perez
INFIELDERS (6)
Colin Moran, Adam Frazier, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Kevin Newman, Gonzalez and Evans.
OUTFIELDERS (4)
Bryan Reynolds, Anthony Alford, Gregory Polanco and Fowler.
TAXI SQUAD (5)
Difo, Shreve, Castro, Poppen and Susac.
INJURED LIST (6)
Brault, Crick, Soriano, Ponce, Cederlind and Davis.