The Pirates' recent run of success has been built upon a foundation of strong defense and run prevention. With a focus on infield shifts and pitchers who churn out groundballs, the Pirates have coaxed strong performances out of hurlers like Francisco Liriano, Jeff Locke and Vance Worley.
Gerrit Cole could be a difference-maker atop the Pirates’ rotation
On a pitching staff filled with reclamation projects and groundball hurlers, Gerrit Cole could turn into the dominant starter the Pirates need.
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However, young righty Gerrit Cole gives Pittsburgh the potential for far more than that. On Monday, Cole shut down a red-hot Tigers offense over six strong innings, providing yet more evidence of his potential to be a top-of-the-rotation starter. Cole fanned eight Detroit batters and allowed just three hits and one run in the kind of dominant performance that could eventually become routine for the 24-year-old.
With a 96-mph fastball and two strong breaking balls, the quality Cole’s stuff has never been an issue. But injuries halted his progress in 2014 even though he finished the season with a 3.65 ERA and 3.23 FIP in 22 starts.
Now healthy, and with two years of MLB experience under his belt, Cole could be ready to lead the Pirates’ staff. His potential to turn into the ace of Pittsburgh’s rotation certainly helps the club’s outlook in 2015. Even with their back-to-back trips to the postseason, the Pirates have lacked the type of dominant starter that can carry a club to victory in a tight playoff series.
Whether teams truly need an "ace" to win in October can be debated. The Pirates have averaged 91 wins the past two seasons with a patchwork (though effective) rotation, and the Royals came within one game of winning the World Series mostly in spite of James Shields last postseason. Still, as he showed against the Tigers on Monday, Cole has the potential to be a difference-maker once October rolls around.
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