Hurdle: Hanrahan to close

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

The Pirates will begin the season with right-hander Joel Hanrahan as the team’s closer, manager Clint Hurdle announced after workouts on Wednesday. Evan Meek will set Hanrahan up in the eighth.

Both players were informed of the decision on Tuesday afternoon.

“We had a lot of internal discussion,” Hurdle said. “I don’t think there was a bad choice. But based on some experience that Joel has had in the past, just for the makeup of our ballclub, the continuity that was shown late last season with them piggybacking each other, that’s the way we’re going to start the season.”

Hanrahan was asked how much he wanted this role: “We both just want to help the team win. We didn’t have communication with each other saying, ‘I want to be it.’ It was a decision that they had to make. Everybody wants to be the closer. I think all the guys in the bullpen would love to have that role and would take ownership of it.”

And Meek’s reaction to the news: “We both knew that it was going to be between us. Knowing Joel, he’s going to do a great job in the role. They knew that they had two guys who could take care of that. We’re going to have a real strong backend of that bullpen. Whatever role I have, it’s going to be getting him that ball.

“In a perfect world, obviously, I would love to do it. But more power to him. He’s going to do a great job, and he’s the right guy to be there.”

Full story to come this afternoon on pirates.com.

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