When the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Joe Musgrove as the centerpiece of the Gerrit Cole trade last offseason many fans were upset. Being upset was an understandable response. After all, Musgrove had spent the previous two seasons failing to solidify a spot in Houston’s starting rotation.
Despite his struggles in Houston, Musgrove was given the opportunity to start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018. After missing nearly the first two months of the season due to a shoulder issue that cropped up in Spring Training, Musgrove took advantage of the opportunity the Pirates gave him.