Pittsburgh Pirates: Steven Brault To Miss Two Months

The Pittsburgh Pirates will need to replace Steven Brault, as it has been announced he will at least miss the first two months of the season.

Last season, left-hander Steven Brault started the season as a piggyback pitcher with Chad Kuhl.  With injuries to the rotation, Brault found himself in the starting five full time.  The lefty posted a career high strikeout rate at 21.3 percent, though it came with a walk rate of 12.4 percent.  It was also a career best 3.38 ERA and 3.92 FIP with Brault limiting hard contact, with just an average exit velocity against of 85.8 mph.

He looked to lead the rotation with Keller in 2021, with a STEAMER projected ERA of 4.82.  However, in his last start Brault left the game and it has come out that it was a left lat strain.  The Pirates Director of Sports Medicine, Todd Tomczyk, said that Brault could miss 10-12 weeks from the injury as he will need to be built back up:

This is a blow to the club for a couple reasons.  For Brault, another good season would set him up better for arbitration, as he looks to prove himself as a starting pitcher.  One issue he struggled with was consistency, so missing the first two months could set him back again.  This was a big season for Brault and this injury is tough to see.

For the Pirates, the club now needs another starting pitcher option to replace these innings.  This gives Wil Crowe potentially another leg up on the competition to make the starting rotation given he is currently on the 40-man roster.  Brault was also a trade option this summer, but with the injury that could make a move more difficult.

Another medical update is on Blake Cederlind, who was already announced to the 60 day injured list a bit back.  He will require Tommy-John surgery and miss 14-16 months.

Cederlind looked to be a potential backend for the Pirates.   He is a hard throwing right-handed prospect and looked ready to compete and pitch out of the pen this season.  Now, he will not pitch until likely next June at the earliest and as a bullpen guy be eased back slowly.