Pirates' Juan Nicasio: Set to start season as reliever

Although the Pirates don't expect to use Nicasio as a closer, he will pitch in high-leverage situations. "I like the role we had him in last year. He flourished in it," manager Clint Hurdle told the team's website. "There were games where he could give late-inning leverage, depending on the use of the other guys. There were days he came in and stopped the biggest situation of the game in the sixth inning, then was able to add another inning to it."

Analysis:

He bombed as a starter in early 2016 but then pitched well out of the bullpen, compiling a 2.96 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 53.2 innings after June 26. Hurdle likened Nicasio's usage to that of Cleveland's Andrew Miller. "It was actually a similar situation to how you saw the two men [Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman] get used in the postseason," Hurdle noted. "We had a guy who was doing it for us." It will take injuries to Tony Watson, Daniel Hudson and Felipe Rivero for Nicasio to be considered for saves.