BUCS LEAVE FLORIDA WITH 36 ACTIVE PLAYERS

DECISIONS REMAIN FOR 5TH STARTER, BENCH, BULLPEN

The Pirates put on their suits, packed up their belongings and left Ed Smith Stadium on Sunday afternoon, bound for the airport and eventually Houston. In two days, they’ll fly to Cincinnati to get ready for their series with the Reds.

They still have a few moves to make before Thursday’s opener at Great American Ball Park.

Manager Clint Hurdle said on Sunday morning that the Pirates have not officially named a fifth starter, nor have they finalized their Opening Day roster. Pittsburgh must fill a few spots on the bench and round out a bullpen that already includes Felipe Vázquez, Keone Kela, Kyle Crick, Richard Rodríguez and Francisco Liriano.

The Pirates didn’t make any cuts on the final day of spring camp in Florida. They departed for Houston with 36 active players still officially on their Spring Training roster. They’ll have to trim that number to 25 by Thursday morning and could do so in Houston over the next two days.

The Pirates still have several too many intangibles involved -- the health of a couple guys their working through. The Pirates haven’t talked to Jordan Lyles about how he bounced back from his outing, and there are still conversations that need to be had.”

That meant a few players left Florida’s gulf coast on Sunday with no clarity regarding where they’ll start the season or what role they’ll play, including Nick Kingham and Steven Brault, who each pitched three innings in the Pirates’ 1-1 tie with the Orioles.

Both Kingham and Brault are still technically competing for the final spot in Pittsburgh’s rotation, although general manager Neal Huntington has said that right-hander Jordan Lyles still has the “inside track” for that job as long as he’s healthy. If Lyles is in the rotation, what happens to Kingham and Brault?

If Kingham doesn’t get the job, he likely will wind up in the Pirates’ bullpen on Opening Day. If he doesn’t make the team, he’ll have to be run through waivers because he’s out of Minor League options, which could result with him playing for another organization. Kingham and right-hander Nick Burdi seem like the most realistic candidates to claim the two available bullpen jobs.

Brault is in a somewhat similar position. The lefty could be assigned to pitch in the Pirates’ rotation or bullpen, or he could be optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis to serve as starting depth. Brault gave up one run on two hits and struck out two in his spring finale.

Although the roster isn’t officially settled after six weeks in Florida, Hurdle said he was pleased with the Pirates’ effort and performance this spring.

AROUND THE HORN

• Third baseman Jung Ho Kang hit his Major League-leading seventh Grapefruit League home run in the first inning off Orioles starter Andrew Cashner. No Pirates hitter has gone deep seven times in Spring Training since Matt Hague did so in 2012. No Pittsburgh player has totaled more than seven homers in one spring since Craig Monroe hit eight in 2009.

• Right-hander Trevor Williams worked three scoreless innings against the Orioles in his final tune-up before his Saturday start in Cincinnati. Williams allowed three hits, all singles, and struck out two. Afterward, Williams said he felt prepared for 32-plus starts and “hopefully 200 innings” this season.

• Center fielder Starling Marte, who hasn’t played since Tuesday due to lower back tightness, said he is feeling better and hopes to start Monday’s game in Houston.

• Unsurprisingly, Hurdle said Josh Bell is “absolutely” slated to be the Pirates’ cleanup hitter to start the season. Bell batted fourth on Sunday and went 1-for-3 with a line-drive double to left-center field.

• Starters Joe Musgrove and Chris Archer stayed behind as the team left town on Sunday. Musgrove will pitch six innings in a Minor League game on Monday, and Archer is scheduled to do the same on Tuesday. Lyles is also expected to make a six-inning start later this week.

UP NEXT

The Pirates headed west on Sunday to Houston, where they will play a pair of exhibition games against the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Rodriguez, Vazquez, Kela, Crick and Burdi will pitch in the first game at 8:10 p.m. ET on Monday. Non-roster right-hander Brandon Maurer is scheduled to start Tuesday afternoon. Monday’s game will air on KDKA-FM and the Pirates Radio Network.