30 days until the Pittsburgh Pirates have their first workout of the spring

The countdown to Spring Training 2018 has now hit 30

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to get closer to Spring Training 2018. Just 30 days from now, the Pirates will hold their first workout of the spring on the fields at Pirate City in Bradenton, Florida.

In 2017 no one wore number 30 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Before that, Neftali Feliz wore in 2016 and Travis Ishikawa did in 2015. The last Pirate to wear the number for consecutive seasons was Jeanmar Gomez in 2013 and 2014.

When Jeanmar Gomez made the Pirates’ Opening Day roster in 2013 a lot of eyes were raised. However, Gomez would prove the Pirates made the right decision to have him make the team by playing a key role in the Pirates winning 94 games and making the postseason in 2013.

During the 2013 season Jeanmar Gomez was a swingman for the Pirates. He pitched in multiple bullpen roles, he made eight starts, and pitched in a total of 34 games. In these 34 games Gomez logged 80 2/3 innings for the Bucs.

Jeanmar Gomez posted a 3.35 ERA, 3.85 FIP, a 0.2 fWAR in 2013, and a fantastic 55.4 percent groundball rate. He also pitched four scoreless innings in the postseason in 2013, with all four of those innings coming in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cardinals.

During the 2014 season Gomez pitched in 44 games for the Pirates, with all 44 coming in relief. In 62 innings pitched that season he owned a 46.8 percent groundball rate, 3.19 ERA, 4.37 FIP, and a -0.4 fWAR. In 2014, Gomez did not appear in the postseason. Albeit, the Bucs’ postseason stay in 2014 consisted of just one game as they ran into the Madison Bumgarner buzzsaw in the National League Wild Card Game.

Following the 2014 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates designated Jeanmar Gomez for assignment ending his Pirate career. He would find some success post-Pittsburgh with the Philadelphia Phillies, posting a 3.25 FIP in 2015, a 3.96 FIP and 37 saves in 2016, and then he battled injuries in a shortened 2017 season.

Next: A look at new prospect Jason Martin

We are now just 30 days away from the Pittsburgh Pirates holding their first workout of Spring Training 2018.