How the Pirates pitchers fighting for 1 spot became four-fifths of starting rotation

Derek Holland can be candid to a fault, so the Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander didn’t hesitate to call 2020 a circus, from the shutdown of spring training to what he calls Camp Covid to a shortened 60-game season interrupted by postponements.

That has made this season something of a juggling act while walking a tightrope for the Pirates, especially when it comes to their starting rotation. If the Pirates can take any comfort, it’s that they’ve had a safety net.

The Pirates started spring training knowing they would be without their top pitcher this season after Jameson Taillon underwent Tommy John surgery last summer. That left Chris Archer, Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams and Mitch Keller as the top four starters, with Holland, Steve Brault, JT Brubaker and Chad Kuhl fighting for the fifth spot.

After Archer opted to have surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome and Keller and Musgrove landed on the injured list, the pitchers fighting for that final spot now comprise four-fifths of the Pirates starting rotation a third of the way through the season. Not quite the way they mapped it out.

“It’s just tough,” Kuhl said. “It’s just unfortunate that it all happened at once. If you lose a couple guys throughout the year, it’s a lot more manageable.”

Complicating matters is three of the four were returning from injuries. Brault was shut down late last summer and again in spring training with a shoulder injury. Brubaker missed most of last season with forearm tightness. Kuhl was returning after a year of rehabilitation for Tommy John surgery. Holland was trying to become a starter again after being moved to the bullpen.

So the Pirates got creative.

Holland, a nonroster invitee, earned not only a spot on the team but in the starting rotation. Brault and Kuhl pitched in piggyback, throwing a few innings while building their arms back up. And, after a couple of impressive relief appearances, Brubaker was stretched out to start.

“We’ve got to give credit to the staff for making sure everybody who was potentially going to be in the starting rotation was prepared if a situation like this presented itself,” Holland said. “And, of course, it presented itself, so here we are. Guys have done an outstanding job of working and feeding off of each other, seeing what each guy’s doing, and using that to better themselves. Our preparation was outstanding. When it came to getting ready for this situation, I think we did a good job. ”

Brubaker, Holland and Kuhl were starters in four of the Pirates’ six victories after Saturday’s win over the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park. Brubaker got a no-decision in the 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins on Aug. 6, and Holland a no-decision in the 8-6 win over the Brewers on July 28. Kuhl earned his first victory in two years in the 7-2 win over the Brewers on Friday night.

Kuhl leads Pirates starters with a 2.84 ERA. Holland’s 2.9 walks per nine innings is lowest among starters. Brault pitched three perfect innings against the Chicago Cubs. Brubaker looks like he could stay in the starting rotation. Then again, any of the four could go to the bullpen.

“I think for the most part, guys are excited for the opportunity to step up,” Williams said. “I mean, you look at what JT has done in the rotation so far, and you look at what Steven and Chad have done with the opportunity that presented itself with those holes in the rotation. Injuries are going to happen, right? It’s part of the game, but it’s one of those things where we’re looking forward to that opportunity where we can prove ourselves and prove that we can do the best that we can to fill those holes.”

Pirates manager Derek Shelton has been cautious with how he is using his pitchers, especially with Keller and Musgrove out and after the bullpen lost Nick Burdi, Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz, Clay Holmes and Yacksel Rios to the IL. Shelton said the Pirates “have to be extremely cognizant” of how they use pitchers this season because he doesn’t want to sacrifice any pitchers to long-term injuries that could affect this season and the next.

“We have to be aware of that not only in 2020 but 2021,” Shelton said. “And a lot of people don’t want to talk about that, but with injuries moving forward we have to watch what the build-up is because next year, with a shortened season, we’re losing innings for a lot of guys. Next year, everybody is going to be concerned why this guy didn’t get to 160 or why he didn’t get to 180 (innings). The ramp-up is very important and it is something we’re extremely mindful of.”

Yet Shelton knows this about the circus that is the Pirates’ starting rotation: The show must go on.