Tuesday: JT Brubaker v John Gant Open A Quickie Set At Busch; Hello Ildemaro, So Long Troy, Poppen Sold and RIP Rennie

Today's Game: The opening game at Busch starts at 7:45 and will be on AT&T SportsNet PITT-2 and 93.7 The Fan.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B; Kevin Newman SS; Bryan Reynolds CF; Will Craig 1B; Gregory Polanco RF; Erik Gonzalez 3B; Ka'ai Tom LF; Michael Perez C; JT Brubaker P. Jake, as expected, is sitting but is available off the bench.

Michael Perez starts tonight - photo MLB.com

Pitchers: RHP JT Brubaker (3-2/2.58) opens the two-gamer against RHP John Gant (2-3/1.83). Of all the guys the Bucs were looking at this year, Jonathan Trey has widened the most eyes. He's gone from 5-7 IP in his last six starts and is as fierce a competitor as AJ Burnett was. The only question is if he can keep up the pace; Bru hasn't tossed 100 IP since 2018. JT has one start against the Redbirds this year, giving up three runs in five frames in a loss. Gant is a five-inning guy, but been pretty effective as his ERA shows, though his WHIP is 1.631 ( he leads the league with 27 walks) and FIP is 4.36. He has only given up one homer this year and obviously keeps his cool when the game gets hot. Gant stopped the Bucs earlier in the year, going five and giving up a run on three hits with five walks and two whiffs.

Notes:

• The Pirates claimed UT Ildemaro Vargas off waivers from the Cubs. To make roster room OF Troy Stokes, Jr. was DFA'ed. Vargas, 29, is a Swiss Army knife player with a .246 MLB BA after stints with the D-Backs, Twins & Chicago.
• RHP  Chad Kuhl is scheduled to start his rehab assignment with Indianapolis tomorrow. LHP Austin Davis is now rehabbing there after some work at Bradenton, and Ke'Bryan Hayes is, per Shelty, "really close" to joining them, so the walking wounded are wending their way back to the big club.
• RHP Sean Poppen, recently DFA'ed, was sold to the Tampa Bay Rays and assigned to their AAA club. The Rays also acquired 1B/3B Wyatt Mathisen from the D-Backs for cash. He played in the Bucco org through 2018; it sometimes looks like Tampa Bay evaluates the Pirates personnel like they're part of their own system.

RIP Rennie, we'll miss you - 1977 Topps

• Rennie Stennett passed away in Florida at the age of 72 after battling cancer. The Panamanian played for the Pirates from 1971-79 and was part of MLB's first all-minority lineup, a member of two World Series teams, and set the modern-day record with his seven-hit game of 1975. His career was sadly derailed in 1977 when a slide broke his leg.
• The Pirates announced that June game tickets will be sold to accommodate a three-foot social distance, which is about 55% capacity; they plan to go 100% capacity in July.

Tomorrow's Game: The contest starts at 7:45 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Trevor Cahill takes on Card ace Jack Flaherty.