PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The rotation is set for the Pirates and while the first three were pretty well known, we’ve been waiting for the last two. One is a prospect and the other is an inconsistent lefty.
Manager Derek Shelton told reporters after the final Spring Training game Monday, Bailey Falter is not only making the team, but one of five starting pitchers.
It’s a bit of a surprise as Falter went 0-2 with a 7.88 ERA in six spring games. The positive with the 26-year-old is he only walked three batters in 16 innings in Grapefruit League action. However, he gave up 14 runs on 22 hits with six home runs allowed and a 1.56 WHIP.
Shelton admitted after Falter’s final exhibition start on Thursday that there are things to work on after giving up three runs in the first inning on 38 pitches. The Bucs manager said he’s got to work in the zone earlier.
“I’ve kinda battled the first inning my whole entire career,” Falter said. “Usually once I get out of that, we end up cruising. It’s just getting my feet wet a little bit, honestly. Trying to get in the feel of things and stuff like that. Stuff to work on in the bullpen, for sure.”
He won’t go to the bullpen though, he will begin in the starting rotation. The Pirates are high on Falter after acquiring him from the Phillies for Rodolfo Castro at the trade deadline last July. If he wasn’t kept on the 26-man, active roster, Falter would have had to clear waivers and likely would have been claimed.
With the Bucs last year, Falter started in seven of 10 games going 2-2 with a 5.58 ERA with 32 strikeouts to 12 walks in 40.1 innings with 10 home runs allowed. If you take a pair of starts out, six runs in 4.2 innings against the Cubs and eight runs in two innings against the Reds, there were some positives.
That is the rub with Falter, great arm, intriguing, but gives up big innings.
Also earning a spot in the rotation this year is rookie and third-overall prospect Jared Jones.
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Mitch Keller will begin the season as the number one starter coming off an All-Star season. He will be joined by veteran, 32-year-old lefties, Martin Perez (10-4, 4.45 ERA, 93 strikeouts, 49 walks, 141.2 innings in 2023 with Texas and 85-81 in his 12-year career with a 4.44 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) and Marco Gonzalez (4-1, 5.22 ERA, 34 strikeouts, 18 walks in 50 innings in 2023 with Seattle and 65-49 in his nine-year career with a 4.14 ERA, 1.28 WHIP).
Pirates open the season Thursday afternoon at Miami. Listen to that game on 93.7 The Fan with first pitch at 4:10p.