JT v Kenta Maeda, Lineup & Notes

Game: The quickie set begins game two at 1:35 and will be broadcast by AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Minnesota is going for a sweep of the home-and-home series.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Phil Evans 3B, Josh Bell DH, Colin Moran 1B, Bryan Reynolds LF, Gregory Polanco RF, JT Riddle SS, John Ryan Murphy C, Jarrod Dyson CF and JT Brubaker P. Didn't take JT long to get a start. He's the Bucs third SS - Kevin Newman and Erik Gonzalez played there for the first 11 games - and it seems like everyone but Cole Tucker has gotten a look.

JT gets the start - photo 2019 Dave Arrigo/Pirates

Pitchers: RHP JT Brubaker tackles RHP Kenta Maeda (2-0, 1.64). It'll be JT's first MLB start after coming off of a lost 2019 campaign. He'll be another guy looking at a quick hook as he hasn't thrown more than 43 pitches in an outing yet, and this is only his third appearance of the year. Maeda has been tough this season, but overall, he's 2-1/4.32 against the Bucs, being tagged for five homers in three previous starts. So there's that...

Notes:

• The Pirates optioned José Osuna and Guillermo Heredia to the team’s Altoona minor league camp to reach the new roster limit of 28. Bell, Moran and Evans made Joey O redundant. Heredia was a bit of a surprise as Pittsburgh kept all their pitchers. Aside from the injuries, Chad Kuhl and JT Brubaker joining the rotation has also stressed the pen.
• The Bucs have lost seven straight games.
• The Pirates host the Tigers for three games after this series. They're in the midst of a 16-games-in-a-row string, with road trips to St. Louis and Cincy still awaiting them before a day off.