Pirates rotation nearly set

BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — With a week before their season opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitching rotation is nearly set.

With Ian Snell scheduled to pitch the March 31 opener in Atlanta, left-hander Tom Gorzelanny will start the Pirates’ second game of the season two days later — setting him up to pitch the April 7 home opener against the Cubs.

Manager John Russell has not announced his rotation but, as it is currently set up, left-hander Paul Maholm would start April 3 in Atlanta and left-hander Zach Duke, right-hander Matt Morris and Snell would start during the three-game series in Florida from April 4-6.

To keep on his throwing schedule, Duke will move up a day and start Wednesday’s exhibition game against Detroit, before making his final spring start in a minor league game next Sunday. Duke was limited to two innings, rather than his scheduled six, when Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay was rained out shortly after starting.

To separate his three left-handers, Russell could choose to put Morris between Maholm and Duke sometime early in the season. Russell also could reconfigure the rotation following a second off day April 8, the day after the home opener.

During the final week of spring training, Morris starts Monday against Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Snell goes Tuesday against the Twins, Gorzelanny pitches Thursday against the Yankees in Tampa, Maholm faces the Twins in Fort Myers on Friday and Morris opposes the Twins in Bradenton on Saturday.