For the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 70th game this season, they’ll turn to a 12th different starting pitcher.
Right-hander Dario Agrazal was added to the Pirates’ taxi squad Friday, and the team announced he will start Saturday’s road game against the Miami Marlins. Agrazal, 24, will be making his major-league debut.
Rated as the Pirates’ 29th-best prospect heading into the season by MLB Pipeline, the 6-2, 240-pound Agrazal is a combined 5-3 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 74 13 innings over 12 starts for Triple-A Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona in 2019.
Since being promoted to Triple-A on April 29, Agrazal has allowed just 38 hits and 10 walks (0.97 WHIP) in 49 1/3 innings (.216 opponent average). He has allowed two runs or fewer while pitching six innings or more in eight of his past 10 minor-league starts.
Dario Agrazal is rolling! He's retired 12 in a row after a strikeout to end the 6th! Indians lead 5-1 in the 7th! #RollTribe pic.twitter.com/QYkjIBvW31
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) May 11, 2019
The native of Panama has been with the organization since being signed in 2012; he has a 3.45 career minor-league ERA.
Three-fifths of the Pirates’ Opening Day starting rotation is on the injured list (Trevor Williams, Jameson Taillon and Jordan Lyles), and three other members of their organizational depth at starting pitcher (Rookie Davis, Chris Stratton, JT Brubaker) also are on either the MLB or Triple-A injured list.
#Pirates pitchers Nick Kingham, Clay Holmes, Dario Agrazal and Jack Leathersich throwing bullpen session Thursday at Pirate City. pic.twitter.com/0MhCRTEDQT
— Kevin Gorman (@KGorman_Trib) February 15, 2018
The Pirates will have to make corresponding 40-man and 25-man roster moves to make room for Agrazal in time for Saturday’s game.
The Pirates carried a seven-game losing streak into Friday evening’s series opener at the Marlins.
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