Pittsburgh Pirates: Four Forgotten Opening Day Starters

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
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PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 12: Erik Bedard #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the San Diego Padres during the game on August 12, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 12: Erik Bedard #45 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the San Diego Padres during the game on August 12, 2012 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

2012: Erik Bedard

Coming off a second half collapse in the 2011 season the Pittsburgh Pirates reinforced their pitching staff by signing veteran left-hander Erik Bedard. Though Bedard missed all of 2010 due to shoulder injuries, he came back in 2011 to the tune of a very solid 3.62 ERA, 3.64 FIP and 1.28 WHIP across 129.1 innings of work with the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox. He also posted a 23.1% strikeout rate, 8.9% walk rate and HR/9 of 0.97.

Overall, Bedard was a very solid pitcher and pitched to his talent with a 3.59 SIERA and 3.56 xFIP. He also had a track record with a handful of solid seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.

Bedard’s first start with the Bucs was on Opening Day in 20212 and he pitched great against the Philadelphia Phillies. The southpaw tossed 7 innings, allowed just a single run on 6 hits, one walk and 4 strikeouts. Bedard ended up being one of the Pirates’ best pitchers through the first two months of the season with a 3.12 ERA, 3.40 FIP and 1.35 WHIP through his first 52 innings of the season.

However, just like the rest of the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates, Bedard regressed immensely and surrendered 52 earned runs in his next 73 innings while having a FIP above 4.50. Eventually, the Pirates released Bedard at the end of August, marking the end of his one year tenure with the Bucs and the one season he got to start the year off with an Opening Day start.

The lefty bounced around with the Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers from 2013-2015. However after his first few months of 2012, Bedard never recaptured the performance he put up earlier in his career again.

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