Pirates Preseason: Bucs host Tigers Friday afternoon

Pittsburgh Pirates (12-11 preseason) vs. Detroit Tigers (9-11 preseason) - Friday, March 26 @ 1:05pm

Stadium: LECOM Park, Bradenton, Florida

TV: AT&T SportsNet, MLB Network (delay)

Radio: None

Webcast: None

SB Nation Tigers site: Bless You Boys

Starting Pitchers

Pirates: Tyler Anderson - LHP - (0-0) - 5.79 ERA - 16 total Ks

Tigers: Matthew Boyd - LHP - (0-1) - 2.08 ERA - 13 total Ks

Probable Starting Lineups (subject to last-minute changes)

Pirates

1. Adam Frazier – 2B

2. Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B

3. Bryan Reynolds – LF

4. Colin Moran – 1B

5. Gregory Polanco – RF

6. Kevin Newman – SS

7. Jacob Stallings – C

8. Dustin Fowler – CF

9. Tyler Anderson – P

Tigers

1. Robbie Grossman – LF

2. Jonathan Schoop – 2B

3. Miguel Cabrera – DH

4. Wilson Ramos – C

5. Nomar Mazara – RF

6. Renato Nunez – 1B

7. Spencer Torkelson – 3B

8. Harold Castro – SS

9. Akil Baddoo – CF

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The Pirates saw their four-game win streak come to an end in a 10-9 loss to the Orioles Thursday night, as starter Sean Poppen and several relievers had rocky outings. The Bucs’ bats did shine, though, as Philip Evans went 4 for 5 with two RBIs and Liover Peguero – considered by many to be the club’s shortstop of the future – had two hits and drove in two runs.

Today, Anderson, who – according to the Pirates’ MLB site goes by the nickname of Mr. Duck – will be making his fifth spring training start. In 14 innings, he has a 5.79 ERA, but he is averaging more than a strikeout per inning (16).

According to Baseball Reference, Anderson has a career win-loss record of 22-27 and a 4.65 ERA in five big league seasons. His first four seasons came with the Rockies, who made him their No. 1 choice in the 2011 June draft out of the University of Oregon; he was the 20^th selection overall.

In his first three seasons, he was a respectable 18-21 with a 4.30 ERA, averaging 8.2 strikeouts and 2.7 walks per nine innings during that time. He started 66 of the 68 games he appeared in during those three seasons.

He went south in a big way in 2019, though, going 0-3 with an 11.76 ERA in five games – all starts – and his season ended prematurely after he underwent knee surgery in June. According to Jordan Freemyer of the Rockies’ SB Nation site, the surgery was needed to correct a chondral defect in Anderson’s left knee.

Anderson came back in 2020 to pitch for San Francisco, where he went 4-3 with a 4.37 ERA in 13 appearances, 11 of which were starts.

Among the hitters Anderson will be facing is Spencer Torkelson, the first overall pick in the June 2020 draft out of Arizona State. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound right-handed hitter, who is starting at third base today, has struggled in Grapefruit League play, as he has just one hit in 21 at-bats for a .048 average and a .214 OPS.

Bucs Dugout, this is your game thread. If you’re watching, or if you can’t watch and want the scoop, chat down below!