Josh Bell is aware of the streak and the part he’ll play in stopping it. For nine years now, since before any current Pirates were Pirates, the team has trotted out a different starting first baseman each opening day. After Adam LaRoche came Jeff Clement, Lyle Overbay, Garrett Jones, Gaby Sanchez, Travis Ishikawa, Pedro Alvarez, John Jaso and then, this April, Bell.
The streak should end March 29, 2018, at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Pirates have their first baseman of the present and the future. Bell isn’t budging. A 25-year-old under club control for the next five seasons, Bell, a switch-hitter, backslid at bat this month but has a .