Juan Nicasio is available out of the bullpen tonight, manager Clint Hurdle said, but he remains the scheduled starter Monday against the Mets.
“We can get through tonight and get fresh and I think we’ll be back with competitive balance to both sides of our bullpen, whatever side we would choose to win if we’re ahead and whatever side we might choose in a tie game or underneath,” Hurdle said. “We haven’t been that way for quite some time.”
Here are the upcoming probables:
Friday: RHP Michael Wacha (2-6, 5.16) vs. RHP Gerrit Cole (5-4, 2.85)
Saturday: RHP Carlos Martinez (6-5, 3.76 ERA) vs. LHP Francisco Liriano (4-5, 5.25 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Mike Leake (4-4, 4.22 ERA) vs. LHP Jon Niese (6-2, 3.93 ERA)
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: RHP Juan Nicasio (5-4, 4.50) vs. RHP Jacob deGrom (3-2, 2.80 ERA)
Wednesday: LHP Jeff Locke (5-4, 5.38) vs. RHP Noah Syndergaard (6-2, 2.00 ERA)
Thursday: RHP Gerrit Cole (5-4, 2.85 plus tonight) vs. TBA
Liriano or Niese could start Friday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The other one will start Saturday. Nicasio’s next turn would come Sunday — the same day Jameson Taillon is eligible to come back to the majors from optional assignment, barring an injury on the major league roster.
Nicasio pitched out of the bullpen in 2015 with the Dodgers. He struck out 65 batters in 581/3 innings with a 3.86 ERA. The issue was lefties, who hit .348/.477/.493 against him. He hasn’t been much better this year: .301/.363/.540.
Hurdle said the Pirates will try to stay away from Jared Hughes, who threw 28 pitches Wednesday in a rough inning. Kyle Lobstein threw 28 pitches in 21/3 innings Thursday, so he’s probably unavailable. Cory Luebke threw 44 combined pitches in the past two games, exceeding Hurdle’s usual 30 combined pitches threshold for using a reliever for a third consecutive day.
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The amateur draft continued Friday, with rounds three through 10. Here are the Pirates’ picks so far:
Third round, No. 105 overall: Stephen Alemais, SS, Tulane. Good hands, a good arm, but no power. Former switch-hitter now hits only righty. He hit .311 with a .368 OBP and a .401 slugging percentage and was 19 of 24 in steal attempts.
Fourth round, No. 135: Braeden Ogle, LHP, Jensen Beach (Fla.) High. Florida commit, fastball up to 96, but more consistently at 91-93, with a hard curve. Rushes his delivery a bit, lacks command right now.
Fifth round, No. 165: Blake Cederlind, RHP, Merced College. 3.75 ERA in 572/3 innings, 63/34 strikeout-to-walk ratio, appeared in 23 games and started four of them.
Sixth round, No. 195: Cam Vieaux, LHP, Michigan State. The Tigers drafted Vieaux in the 19th round last year, but he returned for another season with the Spartans and had a 2.28 ERA this season. He has a good changeup to go with a high-80s, low-90s fastball.
Seventh round, No. 225: Brent Gibbs, C, Central Arizona College. Hit .396.497/.590 with five homers.
Eighth round, No. 255: Dylan Prohoroff, RHP, Cal State Fullerton. Had a 0.68 ERA out of the bullpen and 30 strikeouts — with only five walks -—in 261/3 innings.
Ninth round, No. 285: Clark Eagan, CF, Arkansas. Hit .298/.370/.444 with seven homers for the Razorbacks this season.
10th round, No. 315: Matthew Anderson, RHP, Morehead State. Struck out 130 batters in 912/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA.
First Published: June 10, 2016, 9:43 p.m.
