Marin Maneuvering Pirates’ Pitchers with Precision

Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitching coach Oscar Marin is a busy guy.

This week, the Pirates reach the halfway point of the 2025 season. It seems like it was just yesterday that the club reported for spring training this past February. Pitchers and catchers reported a week before the remainder of the squad. One of the most recognizable faces arriving at Pirate City, now in his sixth season handling the Pirates’ pitchers, is Marin.

As much as watching pitchers grow professionally six–plus months each season, when schedules slow down considerably in the off-season, Marin must deliver a huge exhale. Digesting analytical information all spring and summer, coaching and judging talent with his gut nine innings (sometimes extra innings) at a time, Marin’s work is never done.

Just this season alone, observing the growth of the younger pitchers coming up from primarily Triple-A Indianapolis must deliver job satisfaction for Marin. Braxton Ashcraft’s emergence in the bullpen and as an opener is a big thumbs up for the Pirates organization. Thomas Harrington has made his MLB debut this season. Chase Shugart, Issac Mattson, and Kyle Nicolas have made tremendous strides in contributing to Pittsburgh baseball.

The young arms have been set up for success by Marin, bullpen coach Miguel Perez, and assistant pitching coach Brent Strom.

Paul Skenes, last season’s National League Rookie of the Year, continues to amaze each outing in his sophomore campaign. He is arguably the most important pitcher in the National League, and maybe all of MLB. Mitch Keller, now in his 7th season as a member of the Pirates’ starting staff, is as reliable as they come. Last season, he led all Pittsburgh pitchers in innings for a third straight year.

Bailey Falter and Andrew Heaney complement the Pirates’ pitching one-two punch of Skenes and Keller. Even if half the 34-one run games the Pirates lost this season were reversed in Pittsburgh’s favor, the club could be contending for the National League Central title.

Marin’s pitching ways are working. The 32-48 record prior to Tuesday’s game isn’t a true reflection of the Pirates pitcher's ability to keep the club close in many of their games.

Now in his sixth season as Pirates’ pitching coach, only manager Don Kelly, Mike Rabelo, and first base coach Tarrik Brock remain from the 2020 staff assembled for then-rookie manager Derek Shelton. Coming up through the pitching and teaching ranks, including high school, college, rookie ball in Arizona, winter ball in Puerto Rico, and years in the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners’ minor league systems, Marin has evolved into a top-notch talent evaluator.

One of the first press conferences Marin was available for in the early days of this past spring training, he talked glowingly of his staff as a proud father would of his children. Although MLB pitching is a business, Marin clearly attaches to his pitchers in a personal way.

Outside the Pirates’ clubhouse at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., Marin took questions on how Skenes’ off-season went. Next, Oscar praised Strom’s joining the coaching staff. Additionally, Marin highlighted the positive aspects of welcoming Perez as the bullpen coach. The previous three seasons, Perez managed the Indianapolis Indians of the International League, Pittsburgh’s Triple-A affiliate.

Saying he was excited to see Harrington compete in person, in camp, and embrace where Jared Jones is expected to be this season after a stellar rookie season, Marin came across as ever the optimist. You would expect nothing less from a professional.

There have been some “bumps in the road” for Pirates’ pitching this season. Jones underwent elbow surgery and will be lost to the club for the remainder of the season. Other Pittsburgh arms on the injured list currently are Ryan Borucki, Johan Oviedo, Colin Holderman, Justin Lawrence, and Tim Mayza.

Marin and the Pirates’ administration have carried on with the season with a motto of “next man up.” Pitching is at a level that is keeping the Pirates’ offense in most of the games they play. The trade deadline is coming up next month. It wouldn’t be a great surprise if some of Marin’s pitchers are sacrificed in deals made by Pittsburgh to land quality bats in the team’s lineup.

No big deal for Marin. The business of baseball carries on, and so does a smart pitching coach in figuring out how to get his staff to throw strikes and get outs.