{"id":809375,"date":"2016-03-21T15:00:48","date_gmt":"2016-03-21T19:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/c8f.efa.myftpupload.com\/?p=3090"},"modified":"2016-03-21T15:00:48","modified_gmt":"2016-03-21T19:00:48","slug":"pittsburgh-pirates-backend-starting-rotation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/pittsburgh-pirates-backend-starting-rotation\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Rights, then a Left: Breaking down the Back of the Pittsburgh Pirates Rotation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pittsburgh Pirates have now declared an open competition between three pitchers for the last two spots in their starting rotation. What direction will the team take?<\/h2>\n

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The Pittsburgh Pirates are two weeks away from Opening Day against\u00a0the St. Louis Cardinals and currently the most intriguing story of spring training is the emergence of Juan Nicasio<\/a><\/strong> as a starting pitching option.<\/p>\n

Nicasio has been dynamic so far this spring, throwing 15 innings, allowing no runs on ten hits and striking out 24.<\/p>\n

Pirates Breakdown recently\u00a0debated whether Nicasio has earned a spot in the rotation<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0today, general manager Neal Huntington laid bare how the team feels about Nicasio’s progress.<\/p>\n

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Final two rotation spots are between Jeff Locke, Ryan Vogelsong and Juan Nicasio, per Neal Huntington. Niese will open in rotation<\/p>\n

— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) March 21, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n