The Pirates usually regard the assignment of starting their home opener as second only to getting the nod on Opening Day. It’s the first chance to play in front of their fans in beautiful PNC Park, and they want to trot out a starting pitcher who will energize the home crowd.
Needless to say, things are going to be different on Monday. There won’t be fans in the stands when the Brewers come to town to begin a three-game series, and the first pitcher on the mound will only be half of the Pirates’ tandem-starter duo. But Steven Brault is no less enthusiastic about getting the ball for Pittsburgh’s first home game of the season.
Brault will make the start and likely work three innings in his season debut, squaring off opposite Brewers starter Adrian Houser. After that, manager Derek Shelton will turn to another pitcher -- unofficially, but almost certainly right-hander Chad Kuhl -- to work the next three or four innings before handing the game over to Pittsburgh’s bullpen. The Pirates first teased their piggyback plan early in Summer Camp, with Brault and Kuhl the top two candidates to fill a rotation spot in that way.
“It’s extremely exciting,” Brault said. “It’s kind of not necessarily the same as a regular home opener. It’s probably more of a scheduling thing, where Shelty felt it made the most sense. So it’s not necessarily the same, but I will take the honor, for sure, and I’m excited to throw a home opener.”
First pitch for the home opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET, and it will be live on MLB.TV.
After being sidelined in Spring Training by a strained left shoulder, Brault spent a lot of time during the shutdown revamping his delivery to put less pressure on his throwing shoulder. After facing hitters with those mechanics in place during Summer Camp and in an exhibition outing against Cleveland, Brault said he’s comfortable with those modifications and ready to take them into a game that counts.
“I’m excited to start working for real,” Brault said. “Once those real-game reps start, the adrenaline gets going a little bit, so yeah, I feel really good. I don’t think there’s any concerns or any issues.”
He’ll get to test himself against a familiar opponent, as the lefty joked that “80 percent of my professional appearances have been against the Brewers.” (It’s roughly 18 percent, but he has faced them more than any other team.) But Milwaukee will look a little different this year, having overhauled the roster in the offseason.
Out went Yasmani Grandal and Mike Moustakas, along with Eric Thames, Drew Pomeranz and former Pirate Jordan Lyles, among others. In came Omar Narváez and Avisaíl García along with Justin Smoak, Jedd Gyorko, Eric Sogard and former Pirate Josh Lindblom. But the Brewers are still expected to be a competitive team, despite their offseason changes, with Christian Yelich in the middle of everything they do.
“They’re a much more right-handed-heavy lineup. It’ll be interesting to see exactly how they put everything up against me,” Brault said. “I assume Yelich will still hit second, because he’s the best hitter in baseball. It’ll be a little bit different, but not too much.”
Trainer’s room
• Speaking on KDKA-FM with Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown before Sunday’s game, general manager Ben Cherington said it’s “fair to say” that right fielder Gregory Polanco could return to Pittsburgh’s lineup this week after clearing the COVID-19 protocol and resuming workouts.
Cherington said Polanco was working out Sunday at PNC Park, hitting off a high-velocity pitching machine, running the bases and doing defensive drills. Without putting a timeline on his return, Cherington said he expects Polanco back “sooner rather than later.”
When Polanco returns, expect to see him initially join the Pirates' lineup as the designated hitter. Shelton said that will be a way to “ease him into it,” at least in his first game, given the time he missed after testing positive for COVID-19.
• Utility man JT Riddle, who is on the 10-day injured list with a right abdomen strain, is “coming along well,” Cherington said on KDKA-FM. Riddle has been hitting, throwing, running and fielding at PNC Park. His injured list stint was backdated to last Monday.
• Cherington said the Pirates are “very hopeful” that closer Keone Kela (COVID-19) will be “back with the group sooner rather than later,” but he did not provide a timeline for his return or more specific updates on his status.