Pittsburgh Pirates / MLB
Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz excited to have more offensive firepower in lineup
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ returning players have shared their excitement regarding how the club has navigated the offseason, acquiring a multitude of proven big-leaguers. First baseman Ryan O’Hearn, second baseman Brandon Lowe, outfielder Jake Mangum and relievers Mason Montgomery and Gregory Soto should help the club immediately in 2026. Spencer Horwitz,...
Building a consensus: Pirates abuzz about Konnor Griffin being baseball’s No. 1 prospect
Some of the biggest buzz for the Pittsburgh Pirates surrounded a shortstop who was neither in attendance at PiratesFest nor has played a game yet in the major leagues but is being billed as a future superstar. Konnor Griffin became baseball’s consensus No. 1 prospect entering the 2026 season when...
Tim Benz Podcasts
Joe Starkey’s Cup of Joe: The Pirates owe Andrew McCutchen this much: Tell him they’re moving on
CUP OF JOE: Starkey on sports in 350 words or less. Breakups are hurtful, in life and pro sports. Feelings are injured. Resentments are formed. It wasn’t pretty when the Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from Troy Polamalu, Hines Ward and Ben Roethlisberger, who wanted to keep playing. Feelings were injured....
‘Rip the jersey off of me’: Free agent franchise icon Andrew McCutchen lashes out at Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen publicly lashed out at his treatment from the franchise Saturday in a late-night social media post in response to comments by general manager Ben Cherington at PiratesFest regarding the free-agent designated hitter’s future. “There’s more work to do and I’m not done, no matter what...
‘A different level of energy’: Pirates fans express excitement amid aggressive offseason
As Travis Williams walked around the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the Pittsburgh Pirates president found fans to be just as passionate about the baseball club as ever. Just not as angry. A year after PiratesFest was met with protests from fans frustrated with team chairman Bob Nutting’s lack of...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Same as it ever was for Pirates, Steelers
It’s the time of the season for horse manure, to paraphrase The Zombies. Pirates players who braved the threat of severe winter weather to get to Saturday’s PiratesFest talked about having a different attitude. (Ex-Buc Dale Berra canceled his return when he found out it wasn’t that kind of blizzard.)...
Following bad season with a big chop, Oneil Cruz focuses on fulfilling potential for Pirates
Oneil Cruz had a black beanie pulled tight over his head, trying to conceal his biggest change of an ultra-important offseason for the Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder. The first thing Cruz did upon returning to his native Dominican Republic was to have his barber chop off the shoulder-length dreadlocks he...
Pirates announce schedule changes, player cancellations for PiratesFest due to weather
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that the anticipation of severe weather this weekend has impacted player appearances and caused a change in the schedule for Saturday’s annual fan festival at David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Among the players who canceled appearances at PiratesFest because of travel concerns are three new acquisitions...
Nick Gonzales switches to No. 3, as Pirates announce jersey numbers for newcomers
Nick Gonzales had misgivings about wearing No. 39 once Dave Parker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman made his intentions clear to change his jersey number upon Parker’s death last summer. “It just meant a little more playing today with that number,”...
Baseball America ranks Konnor Griffin its No. 1 prospect, as 3 other Pirates make top 100 list
When Baseball America released its top 100 prospects list Wednesday, Konnor Griffin had only strengthened his status as the No. 1 prospect in the game with “an iron grip.” The 6-foot-4, 225-pound shortstop, who shined at three minor league levels, is one of three teenagers and four players in the...
PiratesFest shorter on star power, as Paul Skenes will miss fan event to accept Cy Young
Pittsburgh Pirates fans will get their first glimpse of the team’s newest additions — including former All-Stars Brandon Lowe, Ryan O’Hearn and Gregory Soto — but PiratesFest will be shorter on star power because of notable absences at the annual fan festival this weekend. That includes their biggest draw, as...
MLB Pipeline names Pirates’ Konnor Griffin No. 1 shortstop prospect, with ‘highest ceiling’
Given that Konnor Griffin is considered the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, it’s no surprise that the 19-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand is ranked the top player at his position by MLB Pipeline. But Griffin’s potential for greatness was captured when he was graded at the top of nearly every...
Mark Madden: The Pirates could bring back Andrew McCutchen, but it’s OK to turn the page
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded for power-hitting second baseman Brandon Lowe and signed OK-hitting first baseman Ryan O’Hearn. But now have done nothing for a couple of weeks. They must figure that first place in the NL Central is wrapped up. It’s not. I’m assuming the Pirates just missed on Kyle...
On Sports: Former Steelers RB Najee Harris on Mike Tomlin’s advice; Andrew McCutchen blasts those doubting his defense
In Wednesday’s “On Sports,” we look at Najee Harris’ recollection of a telling conversation with former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. We also look at Andrew McCutchen’s defense of his defense, and a Pirates player who got married over the weekend. Plus there’s a Steelers anniversary, more on an NHL...
Kevin Gorman: In a Hall of Fame vote centered around center fielders, why Torii Hunter made my ballot
Call me a world-class procrastinator, if you will, or simply someone who performs better under deadline pressure, but I wait until the final day allowed to mail my Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Baseball Writers Association of America voters are permitted to pick 10 players, so following the elections of...
Top prospect Konnor Griffin among 7 non-roster invitees to Pirates’ big-league camp
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Friday that Konnor Griffin, the consensus top prospect in baseball, is one of seven non-roster invitees who have been invited to major-league camp for spring training. The 19-year-old Griffin, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound shortstop/center fielder who was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft,...
Pirates sign top-20 prospect in Dominican shortstop with family ties to Hall of Famer
The Pittsburgh Pirates invested their top international signing bonus in a Dominican teenager who is the nephew of a Hall of Famer and cousin of one of the game’s most prodigious power hitters. The Pirates agreed Thursday to sign 16-year-old shortstop Wilton Guerrero Jr. for $1.95 million, as the top-20...
Pirates single-game tickets for regular season games on sale todayVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that single-game tickets for regular season home games will go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Individual game tickets can be purchased online at pirates.com/tickets, by phone at 1-800-BUY-BUCS or at the PNC Park ticket windows. The Pirates play their home opener against the Baltimore Orioles...
