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

Spring Training 2018 is another day closer for the Pittsburgh Pirates

The 40-man roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates may look much different than it did 72 hours ago, but that does not mean Spring Training is getting here any slower. In just 29 days, the team’s pitchers and catchers will take to the fields of Pirate City in Bradenton for their first workout of Spring Training 2018.

Since 2015 number 29 for the Pittsburgh Pirates has belonged to catcher Francisco Cervelli. As of now, Cervelli is slated to be one of the players taking part in the first day of workouts on February 14.

Upon arriving in Pittsburgh in 2015 after a trade with the New York Yankees, Francisco Cervelli went on to have the best season of his career. Cervelli set a career high in games played (130), plate appearances (510), and fWAR (3.7) in 2015. He also posted a .370 on-base percentage, .341 wOBA, a 117 wRC+, and he was one of the best pitch framers in baseball. Cervelli was a huge reason why the Pirates won 98 games in 2015.

Francisco Cervelli’s 2015 season earned him a contract extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In May of 2016, Cervelli signed a three-year $31 million contract extension with the Pirates that will keep him under team control through 2019.

The past two seasons have been injury riddled ones for Cervelli. Due to a hamate bone surgery, concussions, and hamstring issues he has played a combined 182 games the past two seasons. While his defense has remained strong with a combined dWAR of 7.9, he owns just a .317 wOBA and a 96 wRC+ the past two seasons. However, he has remained an on-base machine as his on-base percentage these two seasons is .362 while his walk rate is a healthy 12.7 percent.

When Francisco Cervelli is healthy, he is one of the best two-way catchers in the National League. However, health has always been an issue for Cervelli. Here’s to hoping that he has a healthy and productive 2018 season for the Pirates.

Next: Pirates extend Felipe Rivero

Despite all of the chaos, anger, and frustration of the past few days we are just 29 days away from the Pittsburgh Pirates holding their first workout of Spring Training 2018.