Pirates preview: Injuries mold starting rotation into different shape

This is the third of a four-part position-by-position preview of the Pirates heading into Friday’s season opener in St. Louis. Friday: Bullpen

In a fantasy world, let’s imagine Jameson Taillon never needed a second Tommy John surgery, and Chris Archer remained healthy and his performance matched what the Pittsburgh Pirates surrendered to get him in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

A starting rotation of Taillon, Archer, Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams and Mitch Keller sounds like it could keep the Pirates afloat for at least part of a 60-game season. Throw in another home-run threat or two and a closer, and the team might be a playoff contender.

Reality intrudes, however, and Taillon and Archer won’t be healthy enough to pitch until 2021. Musgrove, Williams and Keller are anchoring the staff and will pitch the three games in St. Louis, starting Friday, to open the season.

Although manager Derek Shelton hasn’t named a starter for the home opener Monday at PNC Park, it could be 11-year veteran Derek Holland, 33, who made 30 starts with a 3.57 ERA two years ago with the San Francisco Giants. The piggyback duo of Steven Brault and Chad Kuhl will fill the fifth slot.

And history teaches us starting rotations never stay intact throughout the season. Everything is written in pencil.

What do those six pitchers have in common? Each has a career ERA of 4.22 or higher, topped by Keller’s 7.13 last season in his first year in the majors.

Williams, who was one of former manager Clint Hurdle’s favorites because of his fierce competitiveness, was the only MLB pitcher in 2018 to make 10 starts of at least six innings without allowing a run. But injuries helped balloon his ERA to 5.38 last season.

He is healthy now and hopes to work back-to-back all season with Musgrove at the top of the rotation. Williams said recovering from a side injury taught him how to prepare.

“Because of that injury,” he said, “I was able to do different exercises this offseason to not put my body in a compromised position. I plan to be out there to give my team some innings and be on the mound every five days.”

Like Taillon and A.J. Burnett, Musgrove has developed into a leader on the field and in the clubhouse. Earning the start in Friday’s opener is an indication of the respect Shelton and his teammates have for Musgrove.

“(Pitching coach Oscar Marin) and I sat him down, and we told him,” Shelton said, “and he was fairly emotional. I was fairly emotional.”

The relationship between Musgrove and his manager started early, when they went to lunch at Primanti’s soon after Shelton was hired.

“That’s not the reason we decided for him to be the starter, but it was a good sandwich,” Shelton said.

“He’s worked his butt off. He’s prepared. He’s diligent. He asked really good questions. He’s extremely respectful. He embraces the fact that guys want to have conversations with him.”