3 Takeaways From Pittsburgh Pirates Two-Game Series In Detroit

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DETROIT, MI – APRIL 16: Joe Musgrove #59 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on April 16, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Joe Musgrove is proving his worth

When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded ace starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros in January of 2018 the key piece in the trade was fellow starter Joe Musgrove. While many fans were not enthusiastic about Musgrove upon his acquisition, he has quickly become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh and for good reason.

Musgrove pitches with a fiery passion for the game on the mound. He does not take BS from anyone, look at you Javier Baez and the Chicago Cubs, and is a no nonsense type of competitor. Additionally, and most importantly, he has pitched really well for the Pirates.

Every time he takes the ball, Musgrove continues to prove his worth and show why he was the key piece of the Cole trade.

After allowing his first two earned runs of the season in 7 strong innings of work in his start on Tuesday night, Musgrove now owns a 0.81 ERA and a 1.93 FIP in 22 1/3 innings pitched this season. His ERA is currently the lowest among qualified starters in the National League.

This hot start builds off of what was a strong 2018 season for Musgrove. As a member of the Pirates Musgrove, owns a 3.53 ERA and a 3.32 FIP. This comes in 137 2/3 innings pitched across 23 games (22 starts) the past two seasons.

Big Joe continues to show why Neal Huntington and the Pirate brass thought so highly of him when discussing Cole with the Astros. He also continues to prove his worth with each start he makes.

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