The Pirates opened the 2024 season with a four-game sweep of the Miami Marlins. They’re hoping Paul Skenes can get them off on the right foot today as he starts the new season, again with a four-game set in Miami.
The Pirates have put together back-to-back 76-win seasons and general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton have both spent the offseason driving home the point that it’s time for the Bucs to take the next step and start winning more games.
On Indiana In the Morning on WCCS yesterday, play-by-play man Greg Brown said Skenes is the leader the Pirates need.
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For Brown, centerfielder Oneil Cruz is the key to the Pirates offense.
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Director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk has confirmed that star young righthander Jared Jones has a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow and will not throw for six more weeks. Barring setbacks, he’ll start a plyometric program in about three weeks. Tomczyk also said injured first baseman Spencer Horwitz is swinging a bat, fielding, and playing catch but is still weeks away from resuming full baseball activities.
Setting the final roster, general manager Ben Cherington says the Pirates will add left-handers Ryan Borucki and Joey Wentz to the bullpen and option right-hander Hunter Stratton to Indianapolis. Righty Peter Strzelecki will be either designated for assignment or traded.
The airtime for the Pirates and Marlins this afternoon is 3:45 pm on WCCS FM 101.1 and AM 1160, with first pitch at 4:10 pm.
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