Updated Pirates’ Opening Day Roster Predictions (+)
Thursday marks the first day off for the Pittsburgh Pirates since they started Grapefruit League Play on Feb. 24. So, what better time to take another stab at projecting their roster for opening day?
Though there aren’t any major changes from the first installment, there are some areas that needed updated. For starters, it’s looking like Dauri Moreta won’t be ready for the opener in Miami on Mar. 28 and could be sidelined for much longer.
Because of that and some early trends, the pitching staff is going to look different in version 2.0. Position player-wise, things look the same.
Without further ado, here is where I think things would look like if the Pirates broke camp right now.
Catcher: Henry Davis
Davis should have been the presumptive starting catcher ever since it was revealed that Endy Rodríguez would be out for the season. With his performance so far this spring, that spot should be cemented. Through seven games, he’s 6 for 18 with three home runs and eight RBIs.
First Base: Rowdy Tellez
Tellez was brought in as a free agent in the offseason and will be the primary option at first. It’s likely Tellez will be in a platoon-role with Jared Triolo and Connor Joe capable of serving as right-handed hitting complements.
Second Base: Liover Peguero
Peguero has had a fantastic spring through the early going. He’s collected five hits in his last seven at-bats and is batting .429 (6 for 14) overall. Peguero has a double, a homer and three RBIs to his name. Triolo, Nick Gonzales and Ji Hwan Bae are also in play.
Shortstop: Oneil Cruz
After missing the majority of last season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cruz is back in full-force. He hit his first home run of the spring on Tuesday agaisnt the Toronto Blue Jays. Perhaps the most encouraging sign for Cruz? More walks (four) than strikeouts (three).
Third Base: Ke’Bryan Hayes
Barring something unforeseen, Hayes will be manning the hot corner for the Pirates for their opener against the Marlins. He does so looking to defend his first Gold Glove award. He’s hitting .294 with a pair of homers so far this spring.
Left Field: Bryan Reynolds
Reynolds’ status is as certain as anyone on the Pirates’ roster. Both of Reynolds’ hits during spring training have been home runs.
Center Field: Jack Suwinski
Unless the Pirates make a late addition for a true center fielder, Suwinski will again be patrolling the position at PNC Park this year. He should anchor the middle of the lineup, at least against righties.
Right Field: Joshua Palacios/Edward Olivares
A true platoon between Palacios and Olivares still seems the most plausible. Palacios played in his first Grapefruit League game on Wednesday after battling a lower-leg injury. Olivares has had a rough start to his spring, but I’ll leave him there for the time being.
Designated Hitter: Andrew McCutchen
McCutchen went 1 for 2 in his spring debut on Tuesday. He’s back healthy from the partial tear to his left Achilles that ended his 2023 season prematurely. He’ll be the Bucs’ primary DH and could get some reps in the outfield from time to time.
Bench: Yasmani Grandal, Connor Joe, Jared Triolo, Palacios/Olivares
The bench remains the same, even though it’s been a while since Grandal last appeared in a game. Joe will bounce around between first base and the corner outfield spots. He even played a game in center for the first time in his career this spring!
I feel that the best course of action for Triolo is to have him play more often than not while bouncing around the infield. Then the other half of the right field platoon will join the mix of bench bats.
Starting Rotation: Mitch Keller, Martín Pérez, Marco Gonzales, Roansy Contreras, Luis Ortiz*
Keller has already been announced as the opening day starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Left-handers Pérez and Gonzales will follow the recently-extended Keller. With a solid start to his spring and no minor-league options remaining, Contreras seems like a safe bet to earn a rotation spot.
The final spot in the rotation is still more up in the air. I gave the edge to Ortiz, who has looked good this spring. I had Bailey Falter in there from my initial predictions. Quinn Prietser was also under considerations.
Bullpen: David Bednar, Aroldis Chapman, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, Ryan Borucki, Josh Fleming, Kyle Nicolas, Bailey Falter*
With Moreta seemingly out for the long-term, I replaced him in the bullpen with Falter. Four left-handers in the bullpen isn’t ideal to me, but it makes the most sense logistically as things stand right now.
The big five of Bednar, Chapman, Holderman, Mlodzinksi and Borucki is still enough to carry the bullpen as a strength in Moreta’s absence.