Friday: Chase De Jong Opens Against Brew Crew's Brandon Woodruff

Today’s Game: The game starts at 8:10 and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Pittsburgh took two of three games from the Brewers during the team’s first visit here in mid-April.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B; Ke’Bryan Hayes 3B; Gregory Polanco RF; Phil Evans 1B; Ben Gamel CF, Michael Perez C; Kevin Newman SS; Ka’ai Tom LF; Chase De Jong P. Not a very punchy-looking lineup w/o B-Rey (rest day) and Redbeard (finger).

Pitchers: RHP Chase De Jong (0-0/ 5.40) starts the set v RHP Brandon Woodruff (4-2/1.42). Chase is getting an audition to take the Crowe/Cahill spot. De Jong, who has never faced the Brewers, will be making his third start of the season and he’s been good start, bad start, so… Woodruff, who is good and carries a start generally deep for six or seven frames, has only given up three runs in an outing once all year, and that was back on Opening Day. He’s facing Pittsburgh for the first time this season, but has seen them plenty – he’s slashed 3-2/4.50 in nine career games, seven of them starts, against the Pirates. 

Notes:

• Fraze brings a 13-game hitting streak into tonight’s game; Young Hayes’ streak is at eight games.
• Colin Moran’s X-rays showed no break in his pinkie and he’s day to day, depending on his pain level. The Bucs dodged a bullet there.
• Covid News: The Pirates have reached the 85% vax rate threshold, which 22 of the 30 MLB clubs have met so far. Masks be gone!
• RHP Nick Tropeano, who tossed for Pittsburgh last year, was waived by the Giants and claimed by the Mets. They assigned him to AAA Syracuse.
• Lefties last forever: LHP Joe Beimel, 44, has reportedly signed a minor-league deal with the Padres and was assigned to their AA club.
• Arizona has lost 30 of their last 35 games and it cost a couple of short-time ex-Bucs their jobs: coaches Darnell Coles and Eric Hinske were fired.

Tomorrow’s Game: First pitch is at 4:10 and will be aired on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan. Chad Kuhl takes on Corbin Burnes.