Pittsburgh Pirates Grapefruit League Game 27: Chris Archer Day

The Pittsburgh Pirates will play the 26th game of their Grapefruit League schedule on Thursday afternoon

One week from today the Pittsburgh Pirates will travel to Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati for their 2019 season opener. Before the team goes to battle against the Reds on March 28th, they need to finish up their Grapefruit League schedule. Game 26 of this schedule will be played on Thursday afternoon.

The Baltimore Orioles will invade LECOM Park on Thursday afternoon in the Pirates penultimate home game of the spring. After Thursday’s game, the team will have just four games remaining in Florida. This includes split squad action on Saturday that will include their final game in Bradenton.

When the Orioles come to Bradenton on Thursday afternoon, right-handed pitcher Chris Archer will make the start for the Pirates.

Just as Jameson Taillon, Trevor Williams, and Joe Musgrove have done, Archer has gotten in a lot of work this spring in simulated or minor league games. In three Grapefruit League starts, he’s walked just two batters while striking out 12 in eight innings pitched. He’s allowed four runs, three earned, and a home run in these outings.

For a proven veteran like Archer, Spring Training is about getting his work in and nothing more. That said, his stuff has looked absolutely electric this spring. If that carries over to the regular season, he and Taillon will give the Pirates one of the best 1-2 punches of any starting rotation in the National League.

When Archer’s day ends, Kyle Crick and Tyler Lyons are both scheduled to pitch for the Pirates. Crick will enter the season as one of Clint Hurdle‘s go to relievers in high leverage situations. As for Lyons, the non-roster invitee finds himself competing for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen.

While Crick is expected to play a big role in the Pirate bullpen this season, he has struggled this spring. In 4 1/3 innings pitched Crick has allowed seven hits, a home run, he’s hit two batters, walked four, and struck out five. All of this has resulted in a 12.46 ERA. Keep in mind, however, Crick struggled last spring as well before turning in a borderline dominant regular season.

The odds of Lyons cracking the Opening Day roster seem slim. After struggling in 2018 due to a shoulder issues and a decrease in velocity, he has been less than effective this spring. He has allowed nine runs on nine hits, two walks, a HBP, two wild pitches, and a home run allowed in 7 1/3 innings of work in Grapefruit League play. It is looking more and more likely that Lyons will have a decision to make on rather or not he will accept a minor league assignment with the Pirates.

First pitch from LECOM Park is scheduled for 1:05 PM. The game will be televised locally on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on mlb.com, the MLB At Bat App, or, if you’re outside the Pittsburgh market, you can watch the game on MLB.tv or the At Bat App.