This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat e-newsletter. To learn the total e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it often in your inbox.
MIAMI, Fla. — The Pirates began 2023 with a 20-8 file, they usually completed on a 31-28 stretch over the ultimate two months of the season. The center portion of the marketing campaign sunk any playoff hopes, although, they usually completed 76-86. That also was a 14-win enchancment in comparison with 2022.
In 2024, the aim is to take that subsequent step and show they will play profitable baseball for six months and never simply three.
There might be some new faces and a few gamers in new spots in 2024. Oneil Cruz is again after lacking nearly all of 2023. Henry Davis is transferring behind the plate. The outfield is enjoying some musical chairs with Michael A. Taylor added to the fold, transferring Jack Suwinski to primarily left discipline and Bryan Reynolds largely to proper. Jared Triolo has taken over second base, and Jared Jones is the primary of the crew’s huge pitching prospects to get a Main League nod.
In order the Pirates put together for a season of heightened expectations, let’s have a look at a number of the principal storylines for this yr, in addition to make some predictions.
What must go proper? Beginning pitching must step upThe Pirates have a newly prolonged All-Star on the prime of their rotation in Mitch Keller, and loads of uncertainty afterwards. The crew’s had success with soft-tossing lefty reclamation initiatives lately, and it has two extra in Martín Pérez and Marco Gonzales this yr. After that, it’s loads of younger arms, a few of which have a little bit of Main League expertise (Luis Ortiz, Quinn Priester), and a few of which have none (Paul Skenes, Jared Jones). Keller alone can’t carry this rotation, so three or 4 pitchers are going to want to step as much as at the least get the ball to the bullpen, which might be the power of this workers.
The good unknown: Can Oneil Cruz dwell as much as the hype?Cruz has maybe essentially the most boundless potential of any Pirate since Andrew McCutchen broke into the league in 2009. There are additionally loads of questions surrounding Cruz — specifically his protection and whether or not he can keep wholesome. Regarding the latter, he’s performed with out restriction this spring after lacking nearly all of 2023 with a fractured left ankle. Defensively, he’s transferring effectively within the discipline, but it surely hasn’t all the time been fairly. If Cruz lives as much as the hype and stays wholesome, he may very well be a 30-homer, 30-steal candidate whereas additionally addressing the crew’s largest holes within the lineup final yr: a shortstop and a leadoff hitter. Simply how shut will he come to reaching that potential?
The crew’s MVP might be … Ke’Bryan HayesHayes lastly put a Gold Glove within the trophy case, however the extra essential improvement for him final yr was his prolonged run of success on the plate. In 71 video games from the beginning of June to the top of the season, Hayes hit .307 with 13 house runs and an .862 OPS. He adopted that up with 21 hits this spring, essentially the most within the Grapefruit League. If Hayes can present the identical degree of offense he did over the closing months of 2023 over a full season, on prime of his elite protection, he may very well be an All-Star and get some MVP consideration.
The crew’s Cy Younger might be … Mitch KellerKeller and David Bednar are the 2 most secure picks right here, and maybe I’m taking the simple method out by specializing in final yr’s All-Stars. However there are numerous questions on this rotation exterior of Keller, and he’s dependable. Maybe Jones may very well be a really darkish horse right here, or Paul Skenes simply blows the doorways off PNC Park when he will get known as up. For now, although, I’ll follow the man who set a franchise file for many strikeouts by a right-hander final season.
One daring prediction: Jared Jones will compete for Rookie of the YearJones compelled the Pirates’ hand this spring so as to add him to the Opening Day roster. How a lot of that momentum will carry over into the common season? He’s going to have a head begin on lots of the different contenders for the award, and he actually has a number of the finest stuff within the group. If he can proceed to reduce walks and regroup rapidly when he will get in a jam, then he’s received an actual shot at being the primary Pirates pitcher to win NL Rookie of the 12 months.
