Pirates 2024 season in review: Starting pitchers

Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, and Mitch Keller stabilize the Pirates rotation as the team’s biggest strength entering 2025.

The yearly review of the Pirates’ position groups continues with the starting pitchers, the brightest spot on the team during the 2024 campaign.

Paul Skenes

There is no other appropriate way to begin a recap of the Pirates rotation than highlighting the dominant performance by rookie Paul Skenes. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick out of LSU is everything the Pirates could have asked for, times 1,000. Skenes became the first rookie to start the All-Star Game the year after he was drafted and, if qualified, led the National League in ERA (1.96) through 133 innings.

Only 22 years old, Skenes debuted on May 11 in front of one of the most electric and pumped-up crowds in PNC Park history. It wasn’t reminiscent of the 2013 Wild Card Game, but created new excitement that a memory like it could be had again soon. Skenes only allowed four runs or more once, pitching six frames against the mightly LA Dodgers in his first go-around at Dodger Stadium. The 6-foot-6 righty struck out 170 batters, compared to 32 walks, and registered a sub-1.00 WHIP (0.95 in 23 starts. Skenes incredibly allowed no hits in two separate outings against the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.

Only Hideo Nomo (194), Kerry Wood (193), Mark Prior (172), and Dwight Gooden (171) struck out more batters during their first big-league season. Skenes brought excitement to PNC Park at every start, especially striking out Shohei Ohtani on three pitches in June and punching out Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in his final appearance. He’s a shining star the Pirates need to take advantage of in the limited time they have him.

Jared Jones

Speaking of star rookies to build around, Jared Jones was one of the biggest surprises of 2024. In a year of disappointments around the diamond, many bright spots emerged on the mound with Jones at the forefront. Jones broke with the club out of Spring Training and immediately delivered, earning a 2.86 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in five April starts.

He finished the season with a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 132 strikeouts in 121.2 innings. Jones missed considerable time due to a lat injury that lasted nearly two months. When he returned on August 27 for the final month, the Chicago Cubs scored eight total runs through two starts spanning 10.1 innings. Jones struggled against division foe Cincinnati in his second-to-last start, allowing six runs in five frames. Outside of the NL Central in September, Jones held his own against the Nationals, Royals, and Yankees, allowing two runs in each game.

There’s no underselling how important Jones is to the 2025 rotation and beyond. The Pirates believed Jones earned an immediate spot in the rotation and could be a similar course of action for Bubba Chandler. Jones’ competitive nature, drive, and swagger on the mound, paired with a fastball sitting around 98 mph, makes him one of the most intriguing pitchers primed to take the next step and earn top-of-the-rotation praise.

Mitch Keller

I find myself scratching my head when evaluating Mitch Keller. Last season – 4.21 ERA, .249 AVG, 1.25 WHIP, and a career-best 210 strikeouts in 194.1 innings – earned him a long-term extension. Locked in on a five-year, $77 million contract, Keller found financial stability after a rocky start to his MLB career. Statistically the worst pitcher in baseball during his first three seasons, Keller came into his own in 2023 and earned his first trip to the All-Star Game.

Despite his success in April, May, and June, Keller struggled to find his footing after the All-Star Break. He delivered ERA’s of 6.28 (July), 4.20 (August), and 5.28 (September) in his last 15 starts. In 89.1 innings, Keller registered a 5.24 ERA. This season told a similar tale. April was rocky (4.98 ERA) and bounced back with a dominant four-start May (1.30) and five-star June (2.35) to nearly earn another mid-summer classic. Keller’s July was solid, but August (6.75) and September (6.66) saw Keller allow 37 earned runs in 49.2 innings.

Keller remains a solid pitcher capable of busting the Pirates out of slumps and losing streaks. It’s also evident he’s better earlier in the season than late, despite setting a new Pirates strikeout record for right-handed pitcher a season ago. He slots great as a No. 3 starter in a loaded Pirates rotation, capable of being a No. 1 or No. 2 on any given night. Keller took multiple steps to become a consistent starting pitcher. There are just a few boxes to check to maintain this over 162.

Luis Ortiz

Beginning the season in the bullpen, Luis Ortiz was one of three former starters relinquished to the ‘pen. Ortiz, Roansy Contreras, and Quinn Priester all showed flashes of success but never strung together enough consecutive starts to earn the trust of the organization and pitching staff. Contreras and Priester were moved during the season. Ortiz stuck around and eventually earned a chance to start again. He hasn’t looked back.

Ortiz recorded a 7-6 record in 37 games (15 starts) spanning 135.2 innings, including career highs in strikeouts (107) and WHIP (1.11). He became a permanent starter in July and only allowed four runs in 23.2 innings (1.52 ERA). He followed with a 4.11 ERA during his final 10 starts. Ortiz allowed three or fewer runs in 10 of the 15 outings. The key for Ortiz? Batters only hit .203 against his slider and .187 on his four-seam fastball all season. He also introduced a cutter last season that he threw nearly 20% of the time despite a .273 opponent average. Ortiz deserves to start in the rotation next season in what is becoming a packed field for five, maybe six spots before factoring depth options.

Bailey Falter

I need to apologize because I was wrong about Bailey Falter. It’s good to get it off my chest. I didn’t think he was capable of the season he had, especially without premiere velocity dominating the game. Sitting in the low 90s, Falter became one of the organization’s most dependable starters. From boos at the home opener and sports talk questions like ‘Why is this guy here?’ and ‘He’s only a placeholder for Skenes’ to a full season in the rotation, Pirates fans have done a complete 180 on Falter.

Falter struck out 97 batters in 142.1 innings and a 1.29 WHIP en route to an 8-9 record. He delivered starts of three or fewer runs 15 times and ranked in the 98th percentile in pitching extension (7.3), making his 92 mph fastball look more like 95/96. Falter plays with fire as a flyball pitcher only inducing ground balls 37.5% of the time, It will be curious to see if he can replicate his success next year or if his success was a one-hit-wonder.

The Field

Names like Quinn Priester, Domingo Herman, Marco Gonzales, Martin Perez, and Jake Woodford made spot starts for Derek Shelton and Oscar Marin. Carmen Mlodzinski (four) and Josh Fleming (three) also started in a bullpen-game role. The Pirates were fortunate Jones and Falter (for two weeks) were their only injuries to the rotation. Mike Burrows debuted in the final week and offers another high-upside arm. Burrows, Chandler, Thomas Harrington, and Anthony Solometo are knocking on the door of contributing at the major league level. Despite questions in the bullpen, starting pitching should be a strength going into spring training 2025.