It was nearing midnight March 31 in Montreal, and the team bus was idling outside the clubhouse at Olympic Stadium when manager Clint Hurdle, who already had whittled pitchers Steven Brault and Drew Hutchison from the candidates for the Pirates’ fifth-starter spot, called the remaining contenders into his office and informed them of his decision:
Tyler Glasnow had won the job. Trevor Williams would pitch in relief.
Call this take two.
On June 10, with Jameson Taillon set to return from the disabled list, the Pirates sent Glasnow to Class AAA Indianapolis. Like a choose-your-own-adventure book, they retreated to a step they had skipped earlier, selecting Williams instead of Glasnow for the all-right-handed rotation alongside the other four starters from the opening-day rotation.