Pittsburgh Pirates: These Three Pitchers Can Not Start 2024 in the Starting Rotation

If the Pittsburgh Pirates are serious about improving in 2024, these three internal options can not be part of the Opening Day starting rotation

We have already discussed it at length, the Pittsburgh Pirates need a lot of starting pitching help. With starting pitchers that the Pirates could easily afford starting to fly off the free agent market, it's time for Ben Cherington to start to become more aggressive.

Right now, Mitch Keller is the only starting pitcher on the Pirate 40-man roster who should be locked into a rotation spot to start the 2024 season. He is also the only pitcher on the Pirate 40-man roster who has proven to be a legitimate MLB starting pitcher.

Expecting the Pirates to add four starting pitchers to go with Keller is not realistic. That simply is not how the Pirates operate. Due to this, at least one or two other internal options will have to join Keller in the Oepning Day rotation for 2024. However, these three internal options can not be in the team's Opening Day rotation. That is, at least, if the Pirates are serious about contending in 2024.

Andre Jackson

After joining the Pittsburgh Pirates last summer, Andre Jackson initially turned heads. At first, it looked like the Pirates may have found a real diamond in the rough with Jackson. However, by the end of the season Jackson was showing why he had never been a full-time starting pitcher in his career.

Jackson made his Pirate debut on August 5th. In the month of August, Jackson pitched 24.2 innings in 6 appearances, 3 of which were starts. In these 24.2 innings pitched, Jackson posted a 2.92 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 7.2% walk rate, and a 27.8% strikeout rate while limiting opposing batters to a .191 batting average.

This strong start for Jackson led to some people wondering if he could be an option for the starting rotation in 2024. Well, his performance in September debunked this. Jackson pitched in 6 games in September with 4 being starts. In these 6 outings, Jackson posted a 6.16 ERA and a 5.89 FIP in 19.0 innings pitched. His walk rate rose to 14.8% while his strikeout rate dropped to 17.3%.

This is not to say Jackson can't be an effective pitcher in the majors. In 13.2 relief innings pitched with the Pirates last season Jackson posted a 3.41 ERA. To be honest, Jackson could work out pretty well as a long reliever/swing-man in the majors but he should NOT start the season in the Pirate starting rotation.

Thomas Hatch

Like Jackson, Thomas Hatch was a mid-season addition by the Pirates. Hatch was added by the Pirates when he was claimed off waivers on August 6th. This came after he was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays.

This is a bit of a different case than the other two pitchers discussed. Hatch is not a true starting pitcher. However, he does somewhat epitomize a big issue that plagued the Pirates far too often in the second half of 2023. That issue is the Pirates using an opener far too often, which is something they can not do with regularity in 2024, especially to start the season, if they want to take a step forward.

Hatch would make a pair of starts for the Pirates over the course of the final two months of the season. Both of these starts were Hatch working as an opener, he allowed 3 earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched in those two starts.

Overall, Hatch pitched 22.1 innings in 12 appearances with the Pirates. He posted a 4.03 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 7.4% walk rate, and a 17.0% strikeout rate. Like Jackson, Hatch could have some strong value pitching out of the bullpen in the majors. He possesses a slider that has plsu value and could really be a strong pitch in a full-time relief role. But using Hatch, or anywhere for that matter, as an opener can not be a discussion to start the 2024 season.