Joe Musgrove Continues to Prove Himself as a Cornerstone for the Pirates

Despite less-than-ideal circumstances, Pirates pitcher Joe Musgrove has shown enough talent to be part of the Pirates’ long-term future.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the midst of a nightmare season. Sitting at 65-82 entering Friday, the team has endured plenty of embarrassment en route to their current last-place ranking in the NL Central division. On a team as poor as this, talent is generally hard to come by, and the Pirates are no exception, as outside of a few players, much of this team won’t be a part of Pittsburgh’s long-term future. One player who should find himself in Pittsburgh for the long-haul, however, is pitcher Joe Musgrove, who despite tough circumstances, has proven himself as a Pirates cornerstone going forward.

It’s important to focus on more than just Musgrove’s numbers when evaluating his effectiveness. Though he leads the team in terms of ERA and wins, neither mark is particularly impressive overall. While a 4.52 ERA is nothing to sneeze at, it certainly isn’t top-tier ace level pitching and his 10-12 overall record shows that wins have been difficult to come by.

With that in mind, Musgrove’s play on the mound has been admirable, regardless of the raw statistics. At a time when the Pirates lack anything close to a true ace, he has been the closest thing Pittsburgh has. Musgrove also has a way of stepping up when his team needs him most. Take Thursday for example, with a chance to clinch a series win, Musgrove went out and pitched five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.

Ultimately, Joe Musgrove probably isn’t going to be an ace, but for a Pirates team that lacks pitching, Musgrove has a future as a mid-rotation starter. He’s not going to blow you away with his stuff, but as a reliable contributor that has proven himself despite less-than-ideal conditions, Musgrove should be considered a cornerstone to build around.