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After much speculation that they would deal from their pitching depth in order to improve on offense, the Pittsburgh Pirates followed through and traded right-handed starting pitcher Luis Ortiz and pitching prospects Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle to the Cleveland Guardians for first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
Ortiz is a valuable, back-of the rotation arm, but the Pirates have no shortage of internal options to replace him. Let's take a look at a couple of prospects and one Major League arm who could help fill the Ortiz-sized hole in Pittsburgh's rotation, if the Pirates decide to promote from within.
Pirates' internal options to replace Luis Ortiz after trade with Guardians
Bubba Chandler
The Pirates' No. 1 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Bubba Chandler went 10-7 with a 3.08 ERA last season across 26 appearances for Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. He really shined upon arriving in Triple-A, going 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA in seven starts and striking out 54 batters over 39.1 innings pitched.
It has been widely speculated that the Pirates will handle Chandler's foray into the big leagues much like they did Paul Skenes', having him start the 2025 season in Triple-A and slowly ramping up to a midseason MLB debut. However, with Ortiz now out of the picture, it's possible that Chandler's timeline could be expedited.
Thomas Harrington
Thomas Harrington is another exciting prospect in the Pirates' system coming off an impressive 2024 season that saw him pitch to a 2.62 ERA over 19 appearances, mostly for Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis. Harrington missed the first month of last season with a rotator cuff injury, but he finished the campaign with an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 101-to-15.
Harrington's numbers did see a bit of a dip during his six-week stint in Triple-A, but his consistency and above-average command make him a viable option to slot into the Pirates' rotation at some point during 2025.
Johan Oviedo
There has been so much hype around the Pirates' exciting, young pitching prospects that it's easy to forget about Johan Oviedo. The right-hander missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he showed plenty of promise during his first full Major League season in 2023. He finished the year with a career-high 32 starts and 177.1 innings pitched, going 9-14 with 4.31 ERA, 83 walks and 158 strikeouts.
Before the Ortiz trade, it looked like a distinct possibility that Oviedo could return as a member of the Pirates' bullpen to begin 2025. Now, if the Pirates determine that their prospects aren't yet ready for a spot on the Opening Day roster, he could easily slot back in at the back of the starting rotation.
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