'It's go time': Pirates pitching staff in position to provide plenty of intrigue

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Hunter Barco bought it. Hook, line and -- appropriate for his offseason -- sinker.

Pirates manager Don Kelly called Barco into his office Sunday and opened by telling the young left-hander that sometimes it’s his job to have tough conversations.

However, this would not be one of them.

"He tried to scare me a little bit," Barco said Monday morning. "He got me."

With Barco officially on Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster and occupying a role the club has used previously on Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft, there’s now a larger conversation worth having.

It’s enjoyable, too.

With Paul Skenes at the top, followed by a bunch of young, live arms, plus a bullpen that probably doesn’t get enough credit, the Pirates will enter the season with one of the more fascinating and potentially dominant pitching staffs in baseball.

After finishing seventh in ERA (3.76) a season ago, the Pirates are aiming higher -- with a group that has developed together while growing awfully close.

“This is what we’ve talked about now for two, three or four years,” said Barco, a second-round Draft pick in 2022. “Now, it’s here. It’s go time.”

The easy thing to do when discussing Pirates pitching may be to focus on Skenes or Mitch Keller. There’s nothing wrong with that. But Barco, José Urquidy and the other six in the bullpen bring to the forefront a few other important points.

Barco enters the season on the Chandler and Ashcraft plan of working out of the bullpen, then seeing where that goes. Ashcraft did it seven times before earning his first start, Chandler three.

It’s a way to manage innings but also to scheme advantageous matchups for young pitchers.

“It won’t always happen that way,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “But we like that transition if we can make it happen.”

The opportunity is there because of Barco’s ability and the work that he’s put in over the offseason. Not to mention what he’s done during Spring Training.

While adding three pitches, Barco showed a diverse arsenal led by a four-seamer, splitter and slider. The changeup has become a way to get quick outs. Though he’s left-handed, Barco didn’t fare terribly well against same-side hitters, which is why he added a sinker. The sweeper was actually supposed to be the offseason focus after copying Thomas Harrington’s grip.

Barco struggled with control in his first few outings but finished by regularly pounding the zone. After walking five in his first 4 1/3 spring innings, he issued just one free pass in his final five, pitching to a 2.89 ERA overall.

“He totally earned the opportunity,” Kelly said.

If Barco throws strikes, there’s natural deception in his delivery. His splitter can also get a bunch of of swing and miss (42.9% whiff rate).

“Really improved my arsenal this year,” Barco said. “Went out and competed [in Spring Training]. Everything I did put me in a good position. They decided that I’m one of the best guys to help the team win.”

That could come in different ways. Barco’s currently stretched out to throw five or six innings, though that won’t happen right away. His appearances will be shorter, and he could see a chunk of innings Sunday piggybacking with Carmen Mlodzinski.

No matter what, Barco has one goal in mind.

“I’m a competitor,” he said. “Whatever it takes to win.”

As for the rest …

‘José has the experience’

Urquidy, who won a World Series with pitching coach Bill Murphy in Houston, should not be discounted based on a small spring sample size. Signed Feb. 5 to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, Urquidy went 0-1 this spring with a 9.28 ERA in four games (three starts) totaling 10 2/3 innings.

After sizable injury troubles -- Tommy John and shoulder -- over the past few seasons, limited Urquidy to just 2 1/3 innings since 2024, the 30-year-old has been healthy.

He shelved his sweeper and has been working on a shorter slider. Urquidy’s changeup and curveball remain solid. He’s not a high-velocity guy but throws strikes.

Tyler Anderson, Jose Quintana and Bailey Falter struggled in spring, too. Ironically, Urquidy has reverse splits -- meaning he throws with his right arm but throughout his career has produced numbers more in line with lefties.

The Pirates kept Urquidy, at least in part, due to his impressive experience: 4.08 ERA in 46 1/3 postseason innings, plus a 3-0 record and 1.23 ERA in five World Series games.

“José has been to where we’re trying to go,” Kelly said. “Really excited to have him in the ‘pen.”

‘Not gonna pigeonhole it’

With Barco and Urquidy occupying long-relief spots, that leaves the following six for the other bullpen roles: Dennis Santana, Gregory Soto, Isaac Mattson, Justin Lawrence, Mason Montgomery and Yohan Ramirez.

Interestingly, Kelly said the Pirates will be somewhat flexible closing games. He may elect to use Santana in the eighth if there’s higher leverage or save Soto for a pocket of lefties.

“We’re not going to pigeonhole it to say Santana is only going to pitch in the ninth inning,” Kelly said.

The lack of rigidity is smart. Soto has held lefties to a .600 OPS throughout his career compared to .757 for right-handed hitters. Last season, those splits were even more extreme (.549 and .801).

Meanwhile, Santana has been one of the better relievers in baseball since the Pirates got him in 2024. His ERA (2.28) the fourth-lowest among 43 relievers with at least 100 innings pitched since June 13, 2024.

But Mattson (.083 batting average against this spring) and Justin Lawrence (.167) have been nearly unhittable and also profile as high-leverage relievers, which has allowed the Pirates to give Mlodzinski another chance to start.

“A lot of confidence in the guys and the weapons that they have,” Kelly said. “When you get to Urquidy and Barco with the length they provide, feel really good about the bullpen.”

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH.