Ryan Vogelsong was signed on December 18th, 2015 to a one year and $2 million deal. The right hander was once a Pirate, coming over in a trade with Armando Rios from the San Francisco Giants for Jason Schmidt and John Vader Wal. Vogelsong was likely going to be a place holder until Jameson Taillon or Tyler Glasnow appeared ready.
But, things do not always go as planned. Gerrit Cole got hurt, not once, but twice, and this does not include him reporting to camp hurt as well.