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The Argument For Bailey Falter

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When the Pirates opted to go with Bailey Falter in the rotation, they made it clear that Falter wasn’t a bullpen option, but a member of the rotation. They also made it clear that the decision wasn’t based on Falter’s Spring Training, when the lefty put up a 7.88 ERA in 16 innings.

It was difficult to see what part of Falter’s past made his body of work appealing to the Pirates. After his first two starts of the 2024 season, we may have the answer.

In Falter’s history with the Pirates, minus the Spring Training results, he has made ten appearances. Four of those appearances led to a combined 15.42 ERA and a 2.66 WHIP. Six of them led to a 1.57 ERA and an 0.87 WHIP. He was either unhittable or unrosterable. There was no in between.

This year has seen the same from Falter in two starts. He allowed six runs in four innings in his 2024 debut, with five hits and three walks.

On Saturday, the good Falter showed up. Falter carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, ending up with one hit and one walk allowed in six shutout frames. The single hit shouldn’t have even fallen for a hit, with a pop up dropping in the middle of Jack Suwinski and Alika Williams in right-center field.

Falter now has a 5.40 ERA on the young season, across ten innings. He had a 5.58 ERA last year in 40.1 innings with the Pirates. He’s a guy who lives on the extremes, with the end result being a replacement-level starter. However, in 60% of his starts, he’s lights out.

Eventually, I think Falter will be replaced by a more consistent option. At that point, he will revert to being a depth starter, where his 60% tendency to be lights out is more welcome in a spot start or a shorter stretch of games. For now, he’s not a bad option to have, as long as the Pirates can recognize early when his stuff is off and work to limit the damage.

Pirates Win in Extra Innings

The Pirates traded for Joey Bart earlier this week, replacing Jason Delay on the active roster with an injury. Bart made his debut today, and it couldn’t have gone better.

The catcher and former second overall pick homered in his first at-bat with the Pirates, giving them two runs in the second inning to extend their early lead to 3-0.

The homer came in the same inning as a Rowdy Tellez RBI single, following an Edward Olivares double. Bart had two hits, also picking up a line drive double in the fourth inning. Tellez went 3-for-3 with a walk.

The bullpen had issues today protecting the three run lead. Ryder Ryan labored through his single inning of work, allowing two runs to narrow the lead. Aroldis Chapman allowed a runner to reach third, but ended his shutout frame with a strikeout. David Bednar gave up the tying run and blew the save in the ninth. Luis Ortiz allowed a run in the tenth, but the Pirates got it back on a bases loaded walk by Olivares.

Ortiz and Josh Fleming combined for a scoreless 11th inning. Derek Shelton pinch ran Henry Davis at second for Bart in the bottom half of the inning. The Pirates picked up the win on a line drive single from Oneil Cruz, with Davis beating the throw home.

PROSPECT WATCH

Indianapolis won both games of a double header, while Greensboro won in walk off fashion. Below are all of the daily results through the Pirates minor league system.

Indianapolis won game one 5-4.

  • RHP Quinn Priester pitched four innings, allowing two runs on four hits, with four walks and three strikeouts. Priester picked up eight whiffs on the day, much lower than his total of 20 against Louisville.
  • 2B Liover Peguero went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Peguero has a .937 OPS in the first week-plus of the season.
  • SS Nick Gonzales went 0-for-1 with two walks. This was the first game of the season where he didn’t have a hit.
  • C Carter Bins picked up a double, his second of the year.
  • RF Gilberto Celestino went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs.

Indianapolis won game two 7-5.

  • CF Matt Gorski had a big game, going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run, while knocking in three.
  • 1B Billy McKinney went 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk.
  • SS Nick Gonzales got back in the groove, picking up two hits in four at-bats.
  • RF Joshua Palacios also had two hits in four at-bats.
  • RHP J.C. Flowers got the start, allowing four runs, three earned, in two innings, with two walks and a strikeout.

Altoona lost 5-2.

  • CF Jase Bowen went 1-for-4 with a double.
  • LF Connor Scott went 1-for-2 with a walk.
  • RHP Sean Sullivan allowed two runs on six hits in 3.2 innings, with a walk and two strikeouts.
  • LHP Nick Dombkowski gave up two runs, one earned, in two innings.
  • RHP Brad Case pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout.

Greensboro won 6-5.

  • LF Hudson Head won the game with a walk off three run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the only hit of the day for Head, who also drew a walk.
  • CF Lonnie White Jr. hit a three run shot in the eighth inning, his first homer of the year, and his lone hit of the night.
  • RHP Patrick Reilly allowed three runs, two earned, in 3.1 innings. He struck out eight and walked one. Reilly was last year’s fifth round pick, and pitched in the Spring Breakout game.
  • LHP Luis Peralta allowed an unearned run in two innings, with two walks and five strikeouts.
  • LHP Jamal Woods made his High-A debut, allowing one run in 2.1 innings, with no walks and two strikeouts. Woods was taken in the seventh round last year.

Bradenton lost 13-2.

  • LHP Michael Kennedy allowed three runs on four hits in 3.2 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.
  • RHP Peyton Stumbo, last year’s 20th round pick, threw two shutout innings, striking out four with no walks.
  • LF Jack Herman had the only extra base hit with a double in his 1-for-4 night.
  • 3B Garret Forrester went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
  • RHP Fineas Bonita Smith pitched a perfect rehab inning, striking out the side.

STATCAST HEROES

Falter picked up 10 whiffs for the Pirates, and Bart had two hard hits. STATS

Indianapolis got some velocity from Wily Peralta, who allowed two runs in two innings of relief. STATS

Matt Gorski was crushing the ball in game two of the double-header in Indianapolis. STATS

It wasn’t a good night for Bradenton, but Jack Herman’s double stood out. STATS

DAILY VIDEO RUNDOWN

The home run from Bart, crushed into the left field bleachers.

The walkoff winner from Cruz.

Liover Peguero picks up an opposite field double to the gap in game one for Indianapolis.

https://twitter.com/indyindians/status/1776742037708025900

The home runs from McKinney and Gorski in game two for Indianapolis.

https://twitter.com/indyindians/status/1776769706390679957

Here’s that other big hit from Gorski.

https://twitter.com/indyindians/status/1776778569131106397

Nick Dombowski gets out of a jam in the seventh inning for Altoona.

Brad Case getting the strikeout from the sidearm delivery.

Lonnie White hitting his first homer of the year, going opposite field.

https://twitter.com/YoungBucsPIT/status/1776781393453834524

Hudson Head with the walk off home run.

Sergio Campana makes a diving catch in Bradenton for the defensive highlight.

TODAY: PIRATES (7-2) VS ORIOLES (5-3)

Game Time: 1:35 PM EDT
Watch: SportsNet-PIT
Listen: KDKA-FM 93.7

Pirates Starter: Marco Gonzales, LHP (0-0, 1.80)
Orioles Starter: Dean Kremer, RHP (0-0, 5.06)

In the Minors…

  • Indianapolis sends LHP Cam Alldred to the mound at 1:35 PM EST.
  • Altoona will have the 2024 debut of LHP Anthony Solometo at 1:05 PM. This will be the game I’m watching.
  • No starter has been announced for Greensboro, who play at 2:00 PM.
  • Khristian Curtis makes his pro debut in Bradenton at Noon. Curtis, drafted in the 12th round last year, pitched in the Spring Breakout game.

PIRATES PROSPECTS DAILY

The latest in the Saturday Sleepers series looks at RHP David Matoma out of Uganda, who has been hitting 100 MPH as a teenager, and will be making the jump to the US this year.

Saturday Sleepers: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a 17 year old throw 100 miles an hour”

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THIS WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS

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**2024 Pittsburgh Pirates Top 50 Tiered Rankings Version 1.0

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**Greensboro is Loaded With Hitting Talent At the Start of the 2024 Season

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SONG OF THE DAY

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Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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