While there are still health and financial issues for Major League Baseball and the Player's Association to hammer out, both sides have taken the first steps to getting the 2020 season finally underway.
When that season does finally get started, expect the rosters to look larger than normal.
In order to get the regular season underway sooner, players will only have three weeks to get ready during a second spring training. That will create another set of challenges, especially for starting pitchers who are trying to build up arm strength so they can throw 100 pitches.
To compensate, MLB is going to expand player rosters from 26 to 30. There are plenty of ways to approach how to use those four extra spots. Should it go to an inning-eating reliever to help take some of the load off of the rotation? Another bullpen specialist? A player who is out of minor-league options, looking for one last chance with that club? A rookie looking to break into the Majors?
In case you didn't catch the foreshadowing, the Pirates have players who fit those descriptions.
Before we go into who would be part of the expanded roster, let's first establish a 26-man team. This isn't an official list from the club, but after spending the spring with the team in Bradenton, Fla., I predict this is what the Pirates' opening day roster would be if the season opened back in March:
Pitchers: Chris Archer. Steven Brault, Nick Burdi, Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz, Derek Holland, Keone Kela, Mitch Keller, Joe Musgrove, Richard Rodriguez, Edgar Santana, Chris Stratton, Trevor Williams
Hitters: Josh Bell, Jarrod Dyson, Adam Frazier, Erik Gonzalez, Guillermo Heredia, Luke Maile, Colin Moran, Kevin Newman, Jose Osuna, Gregory Polanco, Bryan Reynolds, JT Riddle, Jacob Stallings
And not making the 30-man doesn't mean their season is over. The league is also proposing a 20-man "taxi squad" in reserve. That will be filled up with mostly 40-man roster spot players who don't make the team plus some non-roster players, like James Marvel and Luis Escobar.
But what of those four other spots? Of the players either currently on the 40 man roster -- and those who signed minor-league contracts -- who has the best chance of getting one of those final four jobs?
THE "SAFE" BETS
RHP Chad Kuhl, SS Cole Tucker
Perhaps "safe bets" is a bit presumptuous, but the roadblocks for these two have been cleared because of the delay.
Kuhl is coming off Tommy John surgery, and the Pirates were careful with how he was used in spring. Amost every pitcher is given an innings or outings limit in their first year back from the surgery, and Kuhl was likely going to do the same. Rather than have him ready for opening day just to shut him down at the end of the year, it appeared the Pirates were opting for him to slowly ramp up and then pitch through the end of the season. That strategy seems safer, but it could have cost him a spot on the active opening day roster.
Arm care is paramount for pitchers, and teams are going to be extra cautious considering the second spring training is going to be only half as long as it usually is. Teams are going to carry extra pitchers, and while Kuhl was never officially told in Bradenton whether he would be used as a starter or reliever, he's an easy pick to add to the depth to the staff in either facet.
Tucker's problem was even more clear: Kevin Newman and Adam Frazier are entrenched in the middle infield spots. While no longer officially considered a prospect, Tucker is still one of the Pirates' most promising young players. He needs to play every day, and if there isn't an opportunity in the majors, then it will have to be in triple-A Indianapolis.
But what happens if there is no triple-A season? It would be nothing short of amazing if there is a minor-league season this year, and while that will cause a problem for the vast majority of the Pirates' prospects, it could force Tucker into the majors. Getting to work with major league coaches and get some playing time -- even as a backup -- is better than the alternative.
"The vast majority of players are at points in their careers where going a full calendar year without playing live baseball against high-level competition would be the last thing you’d prescribe," Ben Cherington said about the minor-leaguers last month.
Playing in the majors is Tucker's only real chance of playing against that high-level competition this year.
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