Pirates interested in Shaun Marcum, according to report

Jon Morosi writes that the Pirates, along with the Rangers and Padres, are interested in free agent starting pitcher Shaun Marcum.

The Bucs will likely be in the market for a starting pitcher at least as long as Francisco Liriano remains unsigned. Replacing Liriano with Marcum would be a tradeoff most Pirates fans could accept, since Marcum has been much more consistent and more productive than Liriano. Marcum's flyball tendencies should also play well at PNC Park. The issue with Marcum is his health -- he missed two months with elbow trouble in 2012 and didn't pitch as well after he returned. The Brewers have said fairly clearly that they won't be bringing him back.

This is nit-picking, though. Marcum is near the top of the range of free agent options realistically available to the Pirates. He would go a long way toward stabilizing their rotation.