Arrgh, mateys! Step right up and feast your eyes on the oldest active player in Major League Baseball, Rich Hill, as he takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates’ home opener starting pitching duties. This left-handed journeyman, who just turned 43 on March 11th, has quite the task ahead of him when he faces the White Sox on Friday.

While Hill’s season-opening start against the Cincinnati Reds proved to be something of a mixed bag – he tossed five innings, allowed three earned runs and a pair of home runs while taking the loss – he did manage to strike out seven batters compared to just two walks. Pirates manager Derek Shelton is confident in Hill’s ability to deliver the goods on Friday. After all, this will be Hill’s 352nd career MLB appearance and his 223rd start.

As for another new member of the crew, Vince Velasquez is hoping to join the ranks of those who have managed to overcome struggles and resuscitate their careers in Pittsburgh. Velasquez spent the 2022 season with the White Sox, going 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA over 28 appearances before midseason injuries forced him to take up duties in the bullpen. The 30-year-old will face off against his former teammates this weekend as he takes the mound for the Pirates on Saturday, going up against Chicago’s Mike Clevinger in the second of three games against the White Sox.

So grab your eye patches and your foam fingers, and get ready for some exciting baseball action as these veteran Buccaneers look to make their mark on the high seas of the MLB.