The Pittsburgh Pirates hired Brent Strom to be their assistant pitching coach, as reported by Noah Hiles of the Post-Gazette. Strom is a highly regarded pitching coach, who has spent time with Houston and Arizona over the last decade.
The surprising part of the move is that Strom was hired to be an assistant pitching coach to Oscar Marin. The starting rotation was the most successful part of the 2024 Pirates. The bullpen struggled, especially during the ten game losing streak in late July and early August that sunk the season. The Pirates fired bullpen coach Justin Meccage, but Strom is not replacing that role.
Instead, the Pirates will still look for a bullpen coach, while having two pitching coaches in the dugout. Considering all of the young, long-term pitching talent they have, this is probably a great thing.
Strom is a guy who seems like he could have landed a head pitching coach role somewhere. That said, the Pirates might offer unique value with the chance to work with potentially one of the best young rotations in the game.
There is a reason the rotation was the best part of the 2024 Pirates roster. Rookie of the Year and Cy Young candidate Paul Skenes arrived this year, giving the Pirates one of the game’s best young pitchers on their roster. Mitch Keller and Jared Jones have both shown they can be above-average starters, with Keller becoming a reliable innings eater. The Pirates have three potential above-average options for the back of their rotation (Luis Ortiz, Bailey Falter, Johan Oviedo), and two top prospects arriving next year (Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington).
Strom helped the Astros to a World Series in 2017. He’s pitched in the Majors, worked in minor league development, and has seen Dallas Keuchel and Justin Verlander win Cy Young awards under him. He also helped Gerrit Cole to his upside as one of the game’s best pitchers, immediately after Cole was traded from the Pirates to the Astros.
This is a great hire by the Pirates. Pitching was their strength in 2024, and projects to be their strength going forward. That doesn’t mean they can’t improve. Adding a mind like Strom’s is a definite improvement. He could help this young rotation long-term with just a few years working under him.
Also this week, the Pirates hired Matt Hague as their new hitting coach.
