For as much as Derek Shelton loves to play coy about his Opening Day lineup, the Pittsburgh Pirates were only a week into spring training when the manager revealed Mitch Keller would be the starting pitcher.

Of course, that news was revealed on the heels of Keller agreeing to a five-year, $77 million contract extension through 2028 that made the All-Star right-hander a bona fide franchise cornerstone.

When he faces lefty Jesus Luzardo and the Miami Marlins in the season opener Thursday at loanDepot park, Keller will become the first Pirates pitcher to make back-to-back Opening Day starts since Francisco Liriano did so in three consecutive seasons from 2014-16.

“He worked really hard last season to earn that spot, was an All-Star last year and then prepared this offseason with that in mind. That’s a really cool thing, when you can prepare to be the guy,” Shelton told SportsNet Pittsburgh during Monday’s Grapefruit League finale against the Toronto Blue Jays. “I really give Bob (Nutting) and our ownership group credit in extending him. He’s a big part of our core.”

With the staff ace predetermined, the bigger question was about who would round out the rest of their rotation. JT Brubaker won’t return from Tommy John surgery until after the All-Star break, and Johan Oviedo was lost for the season after undergoing the same procedure.

In an uninspiring offseason search for starting pitching, the Pirates whiffed on several targets before eventually acquiring crafty left-handers Martin Perez and Marco Gonzales.

Perez, 31, who signed a one-year, $8 million contract, was an All-Star in 2022 but was bumped to the bullpen by the Texas Rangers last season on their way to winning the World Series. Gonzales, 32, acquired from Atlanta in a trade, has made 155 starts over nine seasons but underwent season-ending surgery to repair a nerve issue last summer. Neither throws with much velocity or gets many strikeouts, but the Pirates are counting on them to eat innings and provide veteran leadership.

That still left two spots to fill.

The Pirates disappointed their fans again by making a preemptive move by announcing earlier this month that Paul Skenes, the 6-foot-6 right-hander who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, would be starting the season in the minors.

Skenes showed his skill set in Grapefruit League play and the Spring Breakout by regularly topping triple digits with his fastball while mixing a slider, changeup, curveball and a hybrid splitter-sinker in an advanced pitch repertoire that requires only adjusting his routine from pitching on Friday nights to once every five days.

“He’s, obviously, someone who gets a lot of attention for obvious reasons,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington told SportsNet Pittsburgh. “I’m not sure there’s much I can say that hasn’t already been talked about. It is a lot of fun being around him and watching him. You can see the talent on the mound when he’s out there, obviously, with the velocity of pitches and he’s achieved so much already as a young pitcher.

“Watching his effort, his routine every day, this guy doesn’t want to be good. He wants to be great. He’s on a mission to do that. He’s going to do whatever it takes. He’s really important to us. I’m looking forward to him checking off some boxes in Triple-A. He hasn’t had the chance to do yet.”

The rotation, however, will include a rookie sensation.

Jared Jones, a 22-year-old right-hander who was a 2020 second-round pick, impressed the Pirates with a fastball that touched 100 mph and a tenacity that belies his age. Ranked the Pirates’ No. 3 prospect and No. 62 overall by MLB Pipeline, Jones didn’t allow an earned run in 161⁄3 innings, held hitters to a .167 batting average and recorded 15 strikeouts in six spring games.

“Jared is just really showing his stuff,” Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin told SportsNet Pittsburgh. “He came in here to compete, and that’s exactly what he’s done every outing that he’s had.”

How the Pirates fill the final spot in the rotation will be interesting.

Lefty Bailey Falter, acquired from Philadelphia at the trade deadline, went 2-0 with a 5.36 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 80 2/3 innings over 18 games (14 starts) between the two teams last season. After going 0-7 in eight games for the Phillies, he went 2-2 in 10 games with the Pirates but allowed a .275 batting average and surrendered 10 home runs.

Falter struggled this spring, posting a 7.88 ERA, .319 batting average against and giving up six homers in as many games. But he also had 15 strikeouts against three walks this spring, and he and averaged 1.5 walks per nine innings last season. He went as deep as six innings only twice for the Pirates, with his best start an eight-strikeout showing against the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 21.

The Pirates might not deploy Falter in a traditional role. They used openers late in the season last year and have converted starters in the bullpen in lefty Josh Fleming and righties Roansy Contreras and Luis Ortiz, who are capable of covering multiple innings.

Right-hander Quinn Priester, a 2019 first-round pick who didn’t make the cut, could be the first pitcher promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis. Righties Domingo German and Wily Peralta and lefty Eric Lauer were signed to minor-league contracts, giving the Pirates veteran options.

And six of their top 10 prospects are pitchers, so Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Anthony Solometo could earn call-ups sometime this summer. Pirates fans, however, will be eagerly awaiting to see how long it takes Skenes to show he’s ready for the majors.

“It’s as advertised, everything about him,” Marin said. “Obviously, the easy thing is his stuff. But just him as a human being, how he goes about his business, how prepared he is. … The man is on a mission to be great, and I believe that’s exactly what he’s going to be.”

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