Tuesday: Steven Brault v. Mike Leake, Lineup, Notes

Tonight: Opening pitch is slated for 8:09. The game will be carried by ESPN, Root Sports and 93.7 The Fan. Another national TV date, another Pirate pitcher making his MLB debut, ho-hum.

Pitchers: Steven Brault (0-0, 0.00) takes his bow against Mike Leake (5-6, 4.13). Brault, 24, has made three starts since rehabbing a hammy injury, and in eight overall outings in AAA this campaign, he’s 2-3/2.57 with an excellent 11 K per nine and a not-so-excellent four walks per game. The lefty tosses a 90-ish heater and has a slider, change and curve, in that order. He’s also a good stick, having been a college OF’er when not twirling. He’s here sooner probably than the Bucs would like, but with Tyler Glasnow having pitched Saturday, Steven is the next man up. Leake is a long time foe who’s gone 1-1 against the Bucs this year, giving up six earned runs in 11-1/3 IP. In five of his last seven starts, he’s given up just two runs, tho he was chased in the other pair of outings.

Lineup: JJ 1B, Gregory Polanco RF, Cutch CF, Starling Marte LF, David Freese 3B, Josh 2B, Jordy SS, Eric Fryer C, Brault P. Fryer is getting his first Bucco start since 2011 and Freeser is keeping a chilly JHK on the bench. Jung Ho is getting the soft lob treatment from his mound foes; he has to figure out how to spank a spinner.

• Brault is the Bucs 10th different starter so far during this campaign and the fourth (Boscan, Taillion, Kuhl) to make his MLB debut. Last year, they only had eight guys start for the entire season, with the same number in 2014. He’ll become the first major leaguer from Regis U as well.
• C Jake Stallings was DFA’ed to make room on the 40-man for Brault. Jacob is not a sure thing to clear waivers, sporting mad defensive skills but a bad bat.
• Austin Meadows has been out of action so far this month with a hammy tweak. 
• The Royals called up RHP Brooks Pounders from AAA Omaha. The 2009 Bucco second rounder was traded to KC for Yamaico Navarro in 2011 and overcame TJ surgery to reach the show.