Major League Baseball’s Spring Training camps open this week, and that includes the Pirates’ camp in Bradenton, Florida, where pitchers and catchers are checking in today, with the first workout scheduled for tomorrow.
Many of the pitchers and catchers will have to learn their way around Bradenton…the Bucs roster at those two positions looks very different from last year.
New to Pirates Spring Training this year are starting pitchers Marco Gonzalez and Martin Perez, joining Mitch Keller and Luis Ortiz. Other possibilities for the rotation are Quinn Priester, Bailey Falter, Roansy Contreras, and non-roster invitee Brent Honeywell, who was added to the training camp roster yesterday. Of course, there is also the number one overall draft pick Paul Skenes as well.
New bullpen arms include Aroldis Chapman and veterans Wily Peralta and Connor Sadzeck.
JT Brubaker and Mike Burrows, two pitchers continuing their rehab from Tommy John surgery, will also be in Bradenton.
MLB Insider Mike Rodriguez says the Pirates and Angels are interested in former Yankees starter Domingo Germán, who has had a troubled career on and off the field. In six years with the Yanks, he is 31-28 with a 4.41 ERA and he threw a perfect game against Seattle last season. But he’s also struggled through alcohol abuse rehab, was suspended last season for 10 games for using a foreign substance on the baseball, and in 2020 was suspended 81 games for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.
The Pirates catching corps this Spring Training will include Henry Davis, Jason Delay, and newcomers Yasmani Grandal and Ali Sanchez.
MLB
The Dodgers and Padres are already in camp. Those two teams will open the regular season early with a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea on March 20th and 21st. The rest of the teams will open the new season March 28th. The Pirates will start with a three-game series against the Marlins in Miami. The first Spring Training game is February 24th against the Twins.
