Notes: Archer’s debut; big day for offense

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- After having his Spring Training debut delayed by neck tightness, Chris Archer took the mound on Friday afternoon with a relatively short to-do list. He wanted to work on his fastball command and finish the day feeling healthy.

Archer accomplished both of those things and looked good doing it. Facing another team for the first time since last Aug. 20, Archer struck out four batters while allowing one walk and one hit over two innings in the Pirates’ 19-13 win over the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark.

“I told [catcher Jacob] Stallings afterward it was nice just to play baseball and not have to think about being tentative or any potential ailments,” Archer said. “I just looked at his mitt and let it ride.”

Archer expects this season to be better than the last two primarily because, unlike last year, he didn’t enter Spring Training with any physical limitations. On Friday, his fastball consistently clocked in at 94 mph, roughly his average from last season. He tested out his changeup. He only mixed in a handful of sliders, knowing his best pitch will come along quickly when he needs it, but he got Randal Grichuk to swing and miss at the first one he threw.

Two of Toronto’s first three hitters reached safely, Joe Panik on an error by shortstop Cole Tucker and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on a ground-ball single through the right side of the infield. Then Archer fanned Grichuk and struck out Rowdy Tellez with back-to-back high, 94 mph fastballs.

Archer issued a one-out walk in the second then caught Brandon Drury looking at a slider before Jonathan Davis went down looking at three straight fastballs.

“I really wasn’t focused on the hitter that much,” Archer said. “Stallings, [pitching coach Oscar Marin] and I had a plan. I think we can move to the next plan for next outing."

Archer will be scheduled to throw three innings in his next outing. If he adds an inning every fifth day from here on out, he would be lined up to pitch six innings on March 26: Opening Day. Before Friday’s game, though, manager Derek Shelton said the Pirates are “not even close to being ready to talk about that.”

“What we’re going to do for our rotation at the beginning of the year is we’re just going to have to see, health-wise,” Shelton added. “As we go forward, monitor our health. As we get closer, hopefully we’ll have a little bit more clarity there.”

Around the horn
• Starter Joe Musgrove pushed back his scheduled start to accommodate Archer, entering Friday’s game in the third with the intent to work four innings. Instead, Musgrove dealt with a bunch of bad luck -- a popup that fell for a hit, a swinging bunt single, a ground-ball single against the shift, a homer into the wind -- and gave up seven runs on six hits while recording only two outs.

Musgrove said he felt fine physically; his pitch execution just wasn’t up to his usual standard. He threw 37 pitches against the Blue Jays and worked two more simulated innings in the bullpen to get his pitch count up.

“It doesn’t feel good giving up seven in one inning, getting pulled and not getting to do your four innings of work,” Musgrove said. “But ultimately, getting the pitches in and getting the count up, the ups and downs, that’s more important than results right now. These next two [outings] will be a little more important when it comes to executing pitches and getting guys out.”

• The wind was gusting out and the ball was flying out on Friday. The Pirates finished with 19 hits, including seven homers, and put up their highest run total since a 22-5 win over Toronto on March 25, 2014. They also gave up four homers on the day.

Pirates No. 2 prospect Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a rocket to left off starter Chase Anderson. Cole Tucker hit one out to the opposite field. Phillip Evans crushed a grand slam. Prospects Will Craig and Jared Oliva went deep, and Minor League callup Bligh Madris launched one out to right.

• Colin Moran, who launched a towering home run to right field off Anderson in the third inning, made his first start of the spring at first base. Moran played eight games and started four at first last season. Whether he’s the starting third baseman or not, Moran could have to spend some time at first base on Josh Bell’s off-days this year, so Shelton wants to let him get comfortable there during Spring Training.

Shelton has made an effort to move around potential utility players over the last few days. Evans played second and third on Thursday. Tucker has played some second base in addition to shortstop. José Osuna moved to right field for the first time this spring on Friday.

“Just trying to get different views, different looks on the field. There will probably be a time where Colin starts at first and goes to third or starts at third then goes to first,” Shelton said. “Just different ways to think about it to get guys different looks. The big thing, personally, is I don’t want them to be surprised. … If that is the case, that’s something that’s on me and I don’t want someone to be unprepared.”

Up next
Right-hander Chris Stratton, a likely candidate for the Opening Day bullpen, will start for the Pirates as they host the Yankees on Saturday at LECOM Park. Left-hander Robbie Erlin and right-handers Richard Rodríguez, Michael Feliz, Dovydas Neverauskas and Cody Ponce are also scheduled to pitch for Pittsburgh. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET. The broadcast will be available on MLB.TV and Gameday Audio.