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Pittsburgh Pirates: Current Starting Rotation Options
By Marty Leap
Three offseason additions
The first free agent signing of the offseason by the Pittsburgh Pirates was the team agreeing to a 1-year, $2 million deal with veteran lefty José Quintana. While Quintana struggled to the tune fo a 6.43 ERA and a 4.66 FIP last season, he still had a strong 46.6% ground ball rate and 28.8% strikeout rate.
In his career Quintana has pitched 1558 innings in 283 games, 257 of which have been starts. Quintana owns a lifetime 3.84 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 7.0% walk rate and a 21.3% strikeout rate. Quintana will be in the Opening Day starting rotation.
Zach Thompson came to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of the Stallings trade. Thompson made 14 starts with the Miami Marlins last season, pitching in a total of 26 games. In 75 innings pitched Thompson allowed just 6 home runs (0.72 HR/9), while walking 8.9% of batters faced and striking out 21.0%. All of this resulted in Thompson posting a 3.24 ERA and a 3.68 FIP.
Thompson will be on the Opening Day roster for the Pirates. The only question is will his role be as a starting pitcher or as a reliever? If the season started today, odds are, Thompson would be in the starting rotation. He appears to have a great shot to crack the Opening Day starting rotation.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have also added veteran righty Jerad Eickoff as a minor league free agent. While Eickoff will enter Spring Training with an opportunity to earn a spot on the roster, odds are, if this does occur it will be out of the bullpen. That said, he is likely to get an opportunity to make starts in Grapefruit League play.