The Pirates went into camp with the depth of the starting pitchers as something of a strength. Mitch Keller, Rich Hill, Vince Velasquez, J.T Brubaker, Roansy Contreras, Johan Oviedo, Luis Ortiz, Priester, and Michael Burrows. Fast forward to June 14 and that depth is looking like a weakness.
Brubaker was the first go down, he went on the IL during spring and eventually needed Tommy John, Burrows was next, also Tommy John. Vince Velasquez — while it wasn’t Tommy John surgery — had season ending elbow surgery and is going to be on the shelf for 12 months.