The Pirates are hiring Brent Strom as an assistant pitching coach, as first reported by Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Put up-Gazette. The veteran coach was dismissed from the lead pitching function with the Diamondbacks on the outset of the offseason.
It comes as one thing of a shock that Strom accepted an assistant pitching coach function. He’d been a group’s high pitching voice for greater than a decade. The Astros employed him as pitching coach going into the 2014 season. He rapidly secured a repute as one of many sport’s high assistants. Houston had fairly just a few developmental success tales amongst their younger arms over his eight-year tenure. Arizona employed Strom in the course of the 2021-22 offseason. He held a job on Torey Lovullo’s employees for 3 years.
Strom will now work alongside pitching coach Oscar Marin in Pittsburgh. (The Bucs additionally nonetheless want to rent a bullpen coach after dismissing Justin Meccage in September.) Marin and Strom will work with one of many sport’s most proficient younger staffs. Paul Skenes and Jared Jones already appear to be top-of-the-rotation starters as they go into their second seasons. Mitch Keller is a top quality mid-rotation arm who would possibly nonetheless have untapped potential. Bailey Falter and Luis Ortiz have the ultimate two rotation spots on paper, although the Bucs might graduate prospects Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington earlier than lengthy.
Strom is Pittsburgh’s second notable rent of the day. The Bucs tabbed Matt Hague as hitting coach this morning. The bullpen coach would be the last remaining resolution as Derek Shelton builds his 2025 employees.