Rotation Adjustments
The Pirates made a strategic change to their starting rotation as spring training concludes. Right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington has been selected to start in the final spring game against the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida, on March 24. He replaces left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney in the game plan as the team prepares for the upcoming regular season.
Impressive Spring Training Performance
Harrington previously made an impactful spring start on March 18 at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. In that game, he allowed only one hit over 3⅔ innings, issued a single walk, and struck out three batters. His performance helped secure a 3-2 victory that was capped by a dramatic walk-off home run. His solid outing highlighted his potential and readiness to contribute at the major league level.
Rising Prospect
Ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the organization and 79th overall, Harrington has shown steady improvement throughout his time in the minors. During this season with Double-A Altoona, he started 12 of 13 games, recording a 2-2 record with a 2.24 ERA over 68⅓ innings, striking out 74 batters while walking just 10, and posting an opposing batting average of .227. After moving up to Triple-A Indianapolis in early August, he further impressed with a 5-1 record in eight starts, a 3.33 ERA over 46 innings, and a lowered opposing batting average of .212, accompanied by 38 strikeouts to eight walks.
Regular Season Implications
Uncertainty remains regarding the status of right-handed pitcher Jared Jones, who missed his final spring training outing due to elbow discomfort. If Jones is not ready to start on March 27 in a road game against the Tampa Bay Rays, there is a possibility that Harrington could receive an early call-up to the major leagues. Expressing his enthusiasm, Harrington shared, “Yeah, it’d be a dream come true. Obviously, it’s what I’ve been working on and working for forever. So yeah, it’d be really exciting.”
The evolving rotation could see Harrington joining a mix of emerging talents that include top rookie Paul Skenes, along with established arms and hopefuls like Mitch Keller, Bailey Falter, and Andrew Heaney as the Pirates set their sights on a competitive regular season.