Pirates Rotation Trying To Prove Consistent

Jul 6, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage (L) observes as pitcher Gerrit Cole (R) throws on the field prior to the Pirates hosting the San Diego Padres at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Pirates starting rotation looks for more consistency during the 2016 season. Click on the slides below to see an outlook for each projected starter. 

With the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs going out and making moves this offseason, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in for another dog fight in the National League Central division. Last season it took 100 wins to capture the division title and this year could prove to be even tougher.

With some of the game’s most prolific hitters including Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Matt Holiday and Andrew McCutchen in the central, good starting pitching is critical to any NL Central team success.

For the Pirates, two of their starting pitchers from last season have left and are replaced by two veterans trying to turn their careers around.

If opening day was tomorrow the Pirates starting five would look like this:

• RHP Gerrit Cole
• LHP Francisco Liriano
• LHP Jon Neise
• RHP Ryan Vogelsong
• LHP Jeff Locke

We will take a look at all five pitchers and see how they can help the 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates. We will first look at their stats from last season, then we will look at their career as a whole, and finally we will take a look ahead at how they will do in the 2016 regular season.

Next: Gerrit Cole