The Pittsburgh Pirates are in need of some starting pitching for the 2022 season. There are plenty of free agent options to choose from if the Pirates want to do so. Here are three free agent starting pitchers the Pirates should consider signing for the upcoming year.
Right-handed pitcher Jon Gray
The Pittsburgh Pirates should consider signing soon to be free agent right-handed pitcher, Jon Gray. Gray pitched and started in 29 games with the Rockies in 2021. He had a decent campaign with Colorado going 8-12 on the year with a 4.59 ERA. He pitched 149.0 innings and struck out 157 batters.
He only walked 9.0% of the batters faced in 2021. On top of a good walk percentage, Gray struck out 24.4% of the batters he went against. This averaged out to be an impressive 9.48 K/9. He finished the year with a 4.22 FIP and a 2.3 WAR with the Rockies.
Gray was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2013 and made his debut with them on August 4th 2015. Soon to be 31, Gray showed he can still pitch effectively in this league. In his career as a major league pitcher, Gray has a 53-49 record with an overall 4.59 ERA in 152 games.
In Gray’s final season with Colorado his contract was for $6 million. I think it would be fair for the Pittsburgh Pirates to sign him close to this amount with how he performed in the 2021 season. I would like to see him get a multi-year deal to help with the rebuild.