Former Pirates’ Pitchers Star to Open 2022 Playoffs

A host of Ex-Pirates performed nicely in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs while their former club languished at home during an early offseason.

While the Pirates’ team ERA was 4.66 in 2022, fifth-worst in the majors, three of their former starting pitchers added 17.1 scoreless innings—and a total of five hits—in the 2022 Wild Card Series. Other highlights include a home run and a series winning RBI. 

José Quintana opened the 2022 season with Pittsburgh and pitched to a 3.50 ERA over 20 starts before a trade deadline swap with St. Louis.

He started Game 1 for the Cardinals and went 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing three base runners and recording three punchouts. 

Joe Musgrove pitched for the Pirates from 2018 to 2020 before being traded to San Diego. He started Game 3 for the Padres and earned the win, allowing one hit over seven scoreless innings as the Friars advanced to the Division Series.

2019 first-half MVP candidate Josh Bell hit .231 across three starts as the Padres’ designated hitter, adding a two-run homer in Game 1.

Adam Frazier hit .444 with a pair of runs scored while playing second base for the Mariners. He went 3-for-5 in Game 2 while tallying the series-winning RBI on a ninth inning double. 

Tyler Glasnow, centerpiece of the infamous 2018 Chris Archer deal, took the mound in an elimination game for the Tampa Bay Rays. Glasnow pitched five scoreless innings in Tampa’s season-ending loss to the Guardians, giving up just two hits. 

Beloved former Pirate Starling Marte worked his way back from a fractured middle finger to make the Mets’ Wild Card roster. Marte hit a pair of singles in Game 1 and drew a walk in Game 3, but his bat sputtered on the way to a .167 average.

Daniel Vogelbach began 2022 as the Pirates’ designated hitter before a trade to the Mets. He went hitless in seven at-bats but tallied a pinch-hit sacrifice fly RBI in Game 2. 

Rosters haven’t yet been announced for the Division Round, but five more former Pirates pitchers are likely to join the fray: Charlie Morton for Atlanta, Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon and Clay Holmes for the Yankees, and Tyler Anderson for the Dodgers.