Pirates

Pirates Preview: Chance at Back-to-Back Wins to Start the Year

Published

1 month ago

March 29, 2024

Pittsburgh Pirates, Jose Hernandez, Henry Davis

The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) came from behind to take down the Miami Marlins (0-1) in 12 innings on opening day.

Bryan Reynolds, Edward Olivares and Oneil Cruz all homered for the Pirates, and Jared Triolo delivered the winning run with a base hit to right field in the top of the 12th. Jose Hernandez earned his first-career save in the win.

The Pirates will look to make it two in a row on Friday night with Martín Pérez getting the start in his team debut.

First pitch between the Pirates and Marlins is 7:10 ET. The game will be televised on SportsNet Pittsburgh.

Weather

The Marlins’ home ballpark is covered by a roof, so weather won’t be a factor for this four-game series.

The Pittsburgh Pirates Will Send Out LHP Martín Pérez

Pérez, who was signed by the Pirates as a free agent in the offseason, is coming off of an excellent spring. In four starts, the left-hander allowed one run on eight hits in 15 innings pitched. He struck out a team-high 16 batters.

Last season with the Rangers, Pérez went 10-4 with a 4.45 ERA across 35 appearances/20 starts. He made three appearances in the postseason en route to Texas’ World Series championship.

Pérez’s best season in the big leagues came in 2022, when he was named an All-Star for the first time in his career with Texas. In 32 starts, the soon-to-be 33-year-old went 12-8 with a stellar 2.89 ERA.

In three career appearances against the Marlins, Pérez is 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA.

The Miami Marlins Will Send Out LHP A.J. Puk

Puk’s start against the Pirates on Friday will be his first in the big leagues. The Marlins converted the southpaw from a relief role.

Puk was lights out during spring training for Miami. In four starts, he was charged with a pair of earned runs in 13.2 innings and racked up 23 strikeouts.

In 58 relief appearances last season, Puk went 7-5 with a 3.97 ERA and recorded 15 saves. He struck out 78 batters in 56.2 innings pitched. Puk has a 3.72 ERA in four seasons as a big-leaguer.

He’s made four appearances against the Pirates in his career and has allowed four runs on six hits in 4.2 innings.

Marlins Hitters vs. Pérez

Avisaíl García: 3 for 10, one RBI, one walk, two strikeouts
Christian Bethancourt: 1 for 9, one walk, one strikeout
Jake Burger, 2 for 7, one home run, two RBIs
Tim Anderson: 2 for 6, one RBI, one strikeout
Luis Arráez: 1 for 5, one home run, two RBIs, one walk
Nick Gordon: 0 for 3, one strikeout

Pirates Hitters vs. Puk

Ke’Bryan Hayes: 1 for 2, one double

Tidbits

On Thursday, Edward Olivares became the third Pirates’ player to hit a pinch-hit home run in his first at-bat with the team since 1900.
Oneil Cruz’s home run on opening day was his first since last year’s opener against the Cincinnati Reds. He’s the fifth Pirate to homer on back-to-back opening days and the first since Xavier Nady in 2007-08.
Bryan Reynolds’ home run was No. 99 in his career.