2024 Opening Day Roster

[Possum]

Pitchers (13) David Bednar, Ryan Borucki, Aroldis Chapman, Roansy Contreras, Bailey Falter, Josh Fleming, Marco Gonzales, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller, Luis Ortiz, Martín Pérez, Ryder Ryan, Hunter Stratton.

Position Players (13) – Oneil Cruz (INF), Henry Davis (C), Jason Delay (C), Ke’Bryan Hayes (INF), Connor Joe (INF/OF), Andrew McCutchen (DH/OF), Edward Olivares (OF), Bryan Reynolds (OF), Jack Suwinski (OF), Michael A. Taylor (OF), Rowdy Tellez (INF), Jared Triolo (INF), Alika Williams (INF).

There you have it guys, what do you think?

[Doc]

I think the club looks to be better offensively. More home runs are coming. The starting pitching is still unknown, but I do like the addition of Jones to the rotation right away. With him, Keller, and then Skenes coming later, the rotation will be much stronger May through August. After that, I believe they'll shut Skenes down because they'll have him on an innings limit for the year.

[Possum]

I don't buy Skenes being shut down and put on an innings limit. Although he may have is innings limited to a max of 5 per start in Indy.

[Doc]

I don't buy Skenes being shut down and put on an innings limit. Although he may have is innings limited to a max of 5 per start in Indy.

It's not unusual for teams to limit the innings younger pitches work, including the Pirates. Skenes threw 122 innings at LSU last year and a handful more in the minors. I wouldn't be surprised if the Pirates limit him to 150-170. (Keller's innings jumped by about 50 innings each of the past two seasons, as an example.) The team has something really special in Skenes and I don't see them taking a big risk with him. If the way they've rested players over the past few years is any indication, Skenes will likely be really under control.

Maybe you're right in that they'll limit the innings he works per game and thus spread out his 170 innings over the whole season. If the bullpen is dependable, that could be their plan, too.

[bucs607179]

Better O. Pitching, meh.

Seems the Bucs start decent and finish decent but the dog days of summer tend to be a problem.

[Surgnbuck]

Just a shame that as soon as the Pirates bullpen was rated #3 in MLB, down go key figures. That's actually my biggest concern.

The starting pitching is in the same place it was last season, a huge question. My hope is Keller goes back to being the good Keller, Perez keeps pitching like he did in ST, Jared Jones is the real deal, and we automatically are looking at a .500 team bare minimum. That's a lot of ifs, adding to the even bigger ifs of the next two rotation spots.

I don't understand why you bring in Chase Anderson, he outperforms just about everyone not named Perez or Jones, and they don't keep him. I get his age, and I get that there is the issue involved of younger guys like Contreras out of options. However, if you bring a guy in and have absolutely no intention of keeping him, it just seems like a waste of time.

I know McKinney was an OFer. Another case of why bring in someone if you have no intention of keeping him around even when he outperforms many people. Again, the guy who he outperformed, Connor Joe, I believe still has an option. I would have kept him over Joe, Triolo can play first against lefties, I would have kept Peguero on the roster, and got rid of Alika Williams. There is plenty of AB's for Triolo between first, second, third, and SS. He could have been the late inning defensive replacement, shifting Peguero over. Triolo earned a spot on the team, but IMHO so did Peguero.

Tellez better hit a boatload of HR's, because honestly after the way last season ended, Triolo should have gotten the job at first as the primary guy.

[Possum]

Just a shame that as soon as the Pirates bullpen was rated #3 in MLB, down go key figures. That's actually my biggest concern.

The starting pitching is in the same place it was last season, a huge question. My hope is Keller goes back to being the good Keller, Perez keeps pitching like he did in ST, Jared Jones is the real deal, and we automatically are looking at a .500 team bare minimum. That's a lot of ifs, adding to the even bigger ifs of the next two rotation spots.

I don't understand why you bring in Chase Anderson, he outperforms just about everyone not named Perez or Jones, and they don't keep him. I get his age, and I get that there is the issue involved of younger guys like Contreras out of options. However, if you bring a guy in and have absolutely no intention of keeping him, it just seems like a waste of time.

I know McKinney was an OFer. Another case of why bring in someone if you have no intention of keeping him around even when he outperforms many people. Again, the guy who he outperformed, Connor Joe, I believe still has an option. I would have kept him over Joe, Triolo can play first against lefties, I would have kept Peguero on the roster, and got rid of Alika Williams. There is plenty of AB's for Triolo between first, second, third, and SS. He could have been the late inning defensive replacement, shifting Peguero over. Triolo earned a spot on the team, but IMHO so did Peguero.

Tellez better hit a boatload of HR's, because honestly after the way last season ended, Triolo should have gotten the job at first as the primary guy.

Well said Surg, but remember the roster is a work in progress. Where the heck is Wildwood Coach?

[Doc]

Just a shame that as soon as the Pirates bullpen was rated #3 in MLB, down go key figures. That's actually my biggest concern.

The starting pitching is in the same place it was last season, a huge question. My hope is Keller goes back to being the good Keller, Perez keeps pitching like he did in ST, Jared Jones is the real deal, and we automatically are looking at a .500 team bare minimum. That's a lot of ifs, adding to the even bigger ifs of the next two rotation spots.

I don't understand why you bring in Chase Anderson, he outperforms just about everyone not named Perez or Jones, and they don't keep him. I get his age, and I get that there is the issue involved of younger guys like Contreras out of options. However, if you bring a guy in and have absolutely no intention of keeping him, it just seems like a waste of time.

I know McKinney was an OFer. Another case of why bring in someone if you have no intention of keeping him around even when he outperforms many people. Again, the guy who he outperformed, Connor Joe, I believe still has an option. I would have kept him over Joe, Triolo can play first against lefties, I would have kept Peguero on the roster, and got rid of Alika Williams. There is plenty of AB's for Triolo between first, second, third, and SS. He could have been the late inning defensive replacement, shifting Peguero over. Triolo earned a spot on the team, but IMHO so did Peguero.

Tellez better hit a boatload of HR's, because honestly after the way last season ended, Triolo should have gotten the job at first as the primary guy.

Well said Surg, but remember the roster is a work in progress. Where the heck is Wildwood Coach?

Right you are, Possum. The Pirates, like most teams, will suit-up more than 35 guys during this season because of injuries, acquisitions, poor play by major leaguers, or good play by minor leaguers. The Opening Day roster is just one day among 162.

[Wildwoodcoach]

Ok Possum, Wildwood here. I was surprised that Peguero was sent down. However,
as soon as the brass feel that he is ready to play SS Williams will be history. I agree with
Possum that the Opening day Roster is a work in progress. When Holderman and Mlodzinski
return Ryan And Stratton will be sent down. I feel that when Skenes is brought up, Falter won't
be here. To me, the bigger question is what happens when Bae and Grandal are cleared to play.
Stay tuned everybody!!

[Bobster]

Peguero played SS in the minors. I don’t think he was sent down to show he could play there. I think they want him getting regular at bats, which is something Williams will not get as a back up for the Pirates. I don’t think we’ll see Peguero until there is a need for him, like someone getting hurt. Williams is not someone who they would want to plug-in for any length of time. That would be Peguero‘s role, but in the meantime, he’ll get regular at bats in the minors.