For the Pittsburgh Pirates, the top of the rotation is simple. Give the ball to Paul Skenes. Then, give it to Mitch Keller.
After that? Things might get… weird.
Pirates insider Jason Mackey recently hinted that Pittsburgh could employ some non-traditional pitching usage in 2026 — a strategy that sounds suspiciously like it came straight out of the chaotic pitching playbook used by Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. And honestly, that might not be a bad thing.
Mackey laid out a potential structure where the Pirates treat Skenes and Keller like traditional workhorse starters, while the rest of the rotation becomes fluid.