Steven Brault to Start for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: Steven Brault
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: Steven Brault /
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Less than a week into the regular season injuries have shaken up the starting rotation of the Pittsburgh Pirates

When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros in January right-handed pitcher Joe Musgrove was supposed to be a huge part of the trade. The plan was for the former top-100 prospect to join the Pirates’ starting rotation. However, nothing has gone according to plan for Musgrove since joining the Pirates.

Musgrove missed the first few weeks of Spring Training due to right shoulder discomfort. This led to him pitching in a minor league game at Pirate City as a final tuneup for the regular season this past Saturday. Unfortunately, Musgrove’s injury issues have not gone away and now Steven Brault will be the benefactor.

Due to a muscle strain in his right shoulder, Joe Musgrove has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to March 30th. To replace him on the roster Clay Holmes, who was the team’s emergency 26th man for Sunday’s doubleheader, was recalled and is now part of the Pirate bullpen.

In the bullpen, Holmes will replace left-handed pitcher Steven Brault. This is because Brault is now slated to start for the Pirates in game one of the four-game series they begin at PNC Park against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

This will be Brault’s 12th career Major League start. He has appeared in one game this season. This appearance came in this past Friday’s season-opening 13-10 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

Against the Tigers this past Friday Brault pitched the game’s final three innings for the Pirates. He allowed two hits, he walked a batter, and he fanned three while pitching a scoreless 11th, 12th, and 13th inning.

Next: Taillon, Moran lead Bucs to a 4-0 start

Thursday will be the start of a huge opportunity for Steven Brault. If Brault can pitch well while he is filling in for Joe Musgrove, then he may lockdown a permanent rotation spot. Hopefully, for both Brault and the Pirates, he pitches well on Thursday.