Pirates notebook: Rich Hill entrusted with home opener starting duties

The Pittsburgh Pirates are entrusting their home opener starting pitching duties to the oldest active player in Major League Baseball.

The left-handed journeyman, signed by the Pirates to a one-year deal in January, turned 43 March 11.

Friday’s game against the White Sox will mark career MLB appearance No. 352 and start No. 223 for Hill (0-1, 5.40 ERA), who last took the mound for the Pirates in their second game of the season, a loss to Cincinnati on April 1.

Hill tossed five innings, allowing three earned runs and a pair of home runs while taking the loss.

He did record seven strikeouts, however, compared to two walks.

While his season-opening start proved to be something of a mixed bag, Pirates manager Derek Shelton is confident in Hill’s ability to deliver Friday.

“It’s not something that we took lightly,” Shelton said. “We knew (Hill) throwing Game 2 (in Cincinnati), that he would throw (the home opener) … The fact of the matter is, Rich is going to be able to handle that and Rich is going to be able to isolate what he needs to do, how he needs to focus. We had thought a lot coming in about where he threw in terms of the rotation.”

Familiar foe for Velasquez

Pirates starter Vince Velasquez, who, like Hill, joined the club this past offseason on a one-year contract, hopes to find himself among a contingent of pitchers who have managed to overcome struggles and resuscitate their careers in Pittsburgh, such as Tyler Anderson in 2021 and Jose Quintana last year.

This weekend’s series against Chicago will be memorable for Velasquez, as the 30-year-old spent the 2022 campaign with the White Sox, going 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA over 28 appearances.

Velasquez made eight starts before midseason injuries resulted in him being relegated to the bullpen.

While his full body of work in 2022 was far from All-Star-worthy, Velasquez demonstrated some consistency towards the end of the season, posting a 1.08 ERA over his final four appearances (8.1 innings pitched), all of which came out of the bullpen.

The Pirates brought Velasquez aboard to start games, and that is the plan for him Saturday, when he is set to face Chicago’s Mike Clevinger in the second of three games against the White Sox.

For now, Velasquez (0-1, 5.79 ERA) isn’t worrying about any potential changes to his responsibilities, as opposed to getting back on track Saturday after lasting just 4.2 innings April 2 against the Reds, a game in which he took the loss.

“I’ve got a job to do, and that’s to put up zeroes and minimize damage (and) go the distance as long as I possibly can,” he said. “I guess there’s a little taste of, ‘This is what I can do. This is what I’m capable of.’ There’s always that.”

Notes

• The Pirates had room for some early season concern Wednesday when Oneil Cruz left their season finale in Boston midgame with an apparent facial injury following a baserunning collision with the Red Sox’s Rafael Devers. However, after the Pirates’ off day Thursday, Cruz was listed in the starting lineup against Chicago for Friday’s home opener, batting leadoff and playing shortstop.

• Former Pirates A.J. Burnett (2012-13, 2015) and Russell Martin (2013-14), two integral members of the team’s three-year run of playoffs appearances from 2013-15, reunited Friday at PNC Park to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Said Burnett, who threw a biting knuckle curveball during his MLB career, when asked if he’d be tossing one to Martin on Friday afternoon: “Nope — (Martin) told me not to. Not doing it to him, even though I’ve still got a good one.”

Justin Guerriero is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Justin by email at jguerriero@triblive.com or via Twitter .