Report: Pirates name Tyler Glasnow 5th starter
By Dave Holcomb
The Pittsburgh Pirates already announced that Gerrit Cole would be the team’s Opening Day starter on Monday against the Boston Red Sox, but late Friday night, the Pirates finalized the rest of their rotation.
Pittsburgh named hard-throwing right-hander Tyler Glasnow as the team’s fifth starter, according to Pirates beat writer Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
That means Trevor Williams and Wade LeBlanc will begin the season in the bullpen.
Tyler Glasnow is the fifth starter.
— Stephen J. Nesbitt (@stephenjnesbitt) April 1, 2017
Trevor Williams and Wade LeBlanc are the Pirates' long men. Tyler Webb, the Rule 5 guy, will be waived.
— Stephen J. Nesbitt (@stephenjnesbitt) April 1, 2017
Glasnow, who is MLB.com’s No. 8 prospect heading into the season, wasn’t particularly impressive this spring, as he posted a 5.65 ERA, 1.74 WHIP and .306 batting average against in 14.1 innings, but he did strike out 23 hitters too. His stuff is electric, and the Pirates, without any other real good alternatives for their fifth starter spot, will go ahead and give him a shot.
The 23-year-old did receive a little taste of the big leagues last season, going 0-2 with a 4.24 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 23.1 innings. One of his biggest problems in his seven appearances was the fact he couldn’t hold any runners on base. He stands at 6-foot-8, and with his long, lanky frame, he’s still very slow to home plate. Walks and singles very quickly turned into doubles because swiping a bag against him was quite easy.
But again, his talent is undeniable. He posted a 1.87 ERA and struck out 133 batters in 110.2 innings last season at Triple-A Indianapolis.
Williams, who also made his MLB debut last season, pitched very well this spring, recording a 2.04 ERA and .222 batting average against in 17.2 innings. But with Glasnow in the rotation, Williams will begin the season out of the bullpen. LeBlanc, who posted a 3.60 ERA and .241 batting average against in spring training, will join Williams as the Pirates’ other long reliever.
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After Cole pitches the season opener, the Pirates plan to send Jameson Taillon and Chad Kuhl to the mound for the other two games of the series against the Red Sox. Right-hander Ivan Nova will pitch the Pirates’ home opener versus the Atlanta Braves on Friday, April 7.