With opening day eight days away. Here are the top three things I am excited about and three things that concern me heading into the season. One of my biggest concerns for the year is the potential injury to starting pitcher Jared Jones. The pending results are critical.
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Concerns
Jared Jones – RHP
This, as many may know, has nothing to do with his performance this spring. It is more to do with the fact he’s being shut down for the remainder of the spring. He is being shut down due to right elbow soreness. The Pirates have done imaging. They are currently waiting on a second opinion. This is according to senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk.
There is no timeline for his return. There are also no next steps for treatment right now. He is shut down until they receive a second opinion. Jared Jones missing any significant time would be a huge blow to the Pirates rotation. He has looked strong this spring. He was slated to be part of the top three alongside Mitch Keller and Ace Paul Skenes. Fingers crossed Jones can find his way back to the mound sometime in April. If not, Bubba Chandler might be one option to replace him come May.
David Bednar – RHP
I think it’s fair to say that with a 5.77 ERA in 2024, the Pirates had to be slightly concerned heading into 2025 they might have a closer issue. in 2024 Bednar had 30 save opportunities and capitalized on 23 of those. His K/9 went from 10.69 in 2023 down to 9.05 in 2024 which is concerning for a guy who blew seven save opportunities last year. Unfortunately, this spring has not been great either. He has a 12.00 ERA over seven games and six innings pitched. His 2.17 WHIP and eight strikeouts over six innings continue to be alarming. I know this is just spring training stats. That’s how I would view them. That is if his 2024 wasn’t as bad as it was.
Andrew McCutchen – OF/DH
McCutchen is 38 years old coming off a season where he hit for a .232 batting average and a slash line of .328/.411/.739. So far this spring he is hitting .185 with a slash line of .421/.185/.606. I know the team has plans for him to be the DH to start the year. However, how long of a leash will they have for the veteran? In 112 games last year, he only had 12 home runs and drove in 43 runs. You have young talent that most likely will start the year in Indianapolis in Triple-A. I just wonder if he has anything left in the tank. Does he have more to offer than just his tremendous leadership abilities in the clubhouse? Is that enough for the Pirates to keep him on the big league roster?
Excited About
Jack Suwinski – OF
Jack Suwinski currently is second on the team with 13 hits this spring. Suwinski is tied for second in doubles. He is also tied for third in RBIs. He is currently hitting .371 in the spring. Seeing Jack having this kind of success after a dismal 2024 is encouraging for the talented outfielder.
Last year he only played in 88 games for the Pirates and had a .182 batting average with a slash line of .264/.324/.588. Suwinski added nine home runs and 26 RBIs. The Pirates have some tough decisions to make concerning their outfield. Right now, Bryan Reynolds and Oniel Cruz are locked into two spots. The third starting spot is projected to land with Tommy Pham. He is the veteran who was signed late this winter to the team.
After this kind of spring for Suwinski, I would give him the nod in left field. Pham should be the fourth outfielder. In 2023 Suwinski hit 26 home runs and added 74 RBIs. If he can improve his average, the Pirates would be in a much better spot. Hitting close to 20 home runs would be more beneficial than having an aging Tommy Pham playing every day.
Joey Bart – C
Joey Bart Had his best offensive year in his entire career last year coming over from the San Francisco Giants. Bart played in 80 games. He hit 13 home runs and drove in 45 runs. He had a batting average of .265, all career highs. Bart has picked up right where he left off from in 2024 this spring. With 12 hits, three home runs, and nine RBIs. Bart has a .387 batting average and a 1.184 OPS this spring. A hot-hitting Bart provides option for this Pirate lineup, especially if Andrew McCutchen struggles out of the gate. You might see a split with Endy Rodriguez and Bart behind the plate. If both are hitting well, the other could be at DH when not catching. Just so everyone is aware Rodriguez is hitting .360 so far this spring after coming back from missing last year with injury.
Oneil Cruz – CF
Cruz’s 16 strikeouts this spring do concern me. However, my main concern heading into the spring was the defense. With shifting from Shortstop out to Center field I had concerns about potential defensive struggles. It has been a small sample size. I am sure there will be learning curves. As of today, he has yet to make an error in the field. After seeing him for 22 games last year out there with a .964 fielding percentage the concern was valid. For now, it seems he has dedicated himself to the position change. It will be fun to see how he fares this year compared to the few games last season.
Summary:
Perhaps the biggest piece of excitement or concern for this spring training is the unknown news. This uncertainty is affecting both excitement and concerns equally. Jared Jones’s looming injury prognosis could change the look of this Pirates pitching rotation. It will be a big hit to the team heading into the new season. The team still has plenty of good things going for them.
The key theme to this besides the injury is age. Andrew McCutchen has been a great player. He is one of my favorites to watch, honestly. We might see him taking a back seat this year to younger players. This will give the team the best chance to win.
Regarding David Bednar, I believe he will correct the situation. He will be a steady closer for the team this year. If not then the team is in trouble and should be looking for an alternative asap.
The bright side is seeing Suwinski, Bart, and Endy Rodriguez all having successful springs. We hope they carry that success into the regular season. This Pirates team needs to provide more offense for their starting rotation and perhaps this will be the year.
