Pittsburgh Pirates Set Starting Rotation For Opening Series

We now know the starting rotation that the Pittsburgh Pirates will use when the team arrives in Detroit for their season-opening series later this week

On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Pirates will start a three game series with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. With this, the 2018 regular season will be underway.

It has been known for a few weeks now that Ivan Nova would get the Opening Day start for the Pirates while Jameson Taillon would pitch the home opener. Now, however, Pirate fans know how the rest of the starting rotation will shake out.

In an expected move, the team has announced that Trevor Williams will start the second game of the Detroit series while Chad Kuhl will get the ball in the finale against the Tigers. Additionally, fifth starter Joe Musgrove will make his first start of the season at some point in the team’s series against the Reds which takes place on April 5-8.

These announcements also put to rest any questions surrounding Musgrove and if he may not make the starting rotation. In addition to struggling mightily this spring, Musgrove has been much better in his career as a reliever than a starting pitcher. He has also dealt with shoulder discomfort this spring that cost him a few starts.

The team also announced that the two pitchers competing with him for the final rotation spot, Steven Brault and Tyler Glasnow, will both make the Opening Day roster as members of the bullpen. Having both Glasnow and Brault in the bullpen should only add to what is shaping up to be a very strong bullpen.

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This is the second consecutive season that Glasnow will be on the Opening Day roster after making it as a starting pitcher a year ago. As for Brault, this will be his first time on an Opening Day roster.