PITTSBURGH -- There was a point in the middle of the summer when the starting rotation of the Pirates, who lost 10-1 to the Reds on Saturday at PNC Park, didn’t deviate from its five-man set of José Quintana, Mitch Keller, JT Brubaker, Roansy Contreras and Zach Thompson. Now, the rotation is in a bit of flux.

As of now, the starting five consists of Brubaker, Contreras, Keller and Bryse Wilson, who has effectively taken Quintana’s spot after he was traded to the Cardinals. The fifth spot is a bit of a question mark.

Prior to this homestand, Thompson had been a mainstay in the rotation. He made a relief appearance against the Tigers in Detroit on May 4, but that appeared to be a one-off. That is, until he appeared out of the bullpen again this past Thursday, allowing two runs while only retiring one batter. Thompson will start for the Pirates Sunday, and it might not be uncommon to see him bounce back and forth between the bullpen and rotation.

“I want to start and would love to start, but I think in spring, I said the same thing: ‘I don’t care,’” Thompson said. “If I’m in the bullpen, if I’m starting, if I’m a hybrid guy -- back and forth -- I don’t care. Whatever helps the team win, whatever position I can fill to help us win, I’ll do it.”

Tyler Beede’s last four appearances have come as a starter. That includes Saturday, where Beede allowed five runs (four earned) in four innings. Beede, who has been a starter in the past, was solid out of the bullpen for the Pirates, posting a 2.64 ERA across 30 2/3 innings as a reliever. As a starter, though, Beede has allowed 10 earned runs in 12 innings (7.50 ERA).

So, how will that fifth spot shake out? Could the Pirates even employ a six-man rotation? That’s still up in the air. The shortened Major League season and canceled Minor League season in 2020 is a factor because of the Pirates’ young staff still building up to a full 162-game season, manager Derek Shelton said.

“We haven’t decided if it’s five-man or if it’s a six-man, just because we get the extra pitcher,” Shelton said. “There’s been some times where we built in breaks, hoping guys can finish the season. We just have to be aware of how guys are doing. I don't know if that’s shorter starts, if it’s another starter, if we do a bullpen [game] every once in a while. We haven’t decided that yet, but we will monitor that closely.”

Along with the options on the active roster, there are also several names worth consideration in Indianapolis. No. 8 Pirates prospect Mike Burrows initially struggled upon being promoted to Triple-A, but in his last six appearances, he is posting a 2.28 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.

Rodolfo Castro continues solid stretch on offense
When Castro was optioned to Triple-A earlier this season, the infielder’s game was in need of refinement on both sides of the ball. Since returning, the 23-year-old has shown signs of progress.

Castro had one of his finer games this season, notching two hits, including a solo home run that cleared the North Side Notch, and a stolen base. These performances haven’t been uncommon in recent weeks. In 11 games since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis, Castro is hitting .307/.357/.590 with five extra-base hits.

“I think he’s been consistent with the pitches he’s swinging at,” Shelton said. “That’s one of the things that we asked him to focus on when he went to Indy. He’s swinging at the right pitches. When we’ve seen him do that, he’s hit the ball hard. That was evident tonight.”

Castro’s defense has been refreshing as well. In his first stint with the club earlier this season, it was not uncommon for him to commit errors on relatively routine plays. Since returning, Castro’s defense has been far more clean. With Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list, Castro has made a fine temporary replacement at the hot corner.