The Pirates lost to the Red Sox yesterday, 6-3, in spring training baseball. Mitch Keller gave up one run in three-and-two-thirds innings as he worked on using all of his pitches in key at-bats. Henry Davis hit his second home run of the spring.
The Bucs will play one more game in Florida today before they pack their bags and head north to New York for Thursday’s season opener against the Mets. Carson Fulmer will start against the Braves this afternoon in Bradenton. Fulmer was among a group of players assigned to minor league camp yesterday as the Pirates continued to set the roster for the season opener. Catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores and pitcher Cam Sanders were optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Pitchers Chris Devenski and Joe La Sorsa and infielder Alika Williams were sent to minor league camp.
Manager Donnie Kelly also set the rotation for the start of the season, announcing that Paul Skenes will start Thursday against the Mets, Mitch Keller on Saturday, and Carmen Mlodzinski on Sunday. Then the Bucs will move on to Cincinnati, where Braxton Ashcraft starts on Monday, Bubba Chandler on Tuesday, and Skenes, presumably, on Wednesday. That would put Keller in position to start April 3rd at PNC Park in the home opener against Baltimore.
Kelly says Mlodzinski earned his spot in the rotation, largely because he learned a lot last season as a spot starter and reliever.
Kelly also said that Jared Triolo will be his opening day starter at shortstop, with Nick Gonzalez and Nick Yorke sharing third base duties, although Gonzalez can slide over to shortstop when Triolo is not starting. Kelly explained why Triolo makes sense at short.
Kelly says it felt great to tell best friends Yorke and Billy Cook that they had made the opening day roster.
This afternoon’s spring training finale against the Braves airs on WCCS at one o’clock.
