Kevin Gorman stories, Page 115
Pirates activate reliever Blake Cederlind, who could make MLB debut at Reds
The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher whose fastball turned heads in spring training by touching triple digits is ready to make his major league debut, as Blake Cederlind was activated Tuesday from the taxi squad. The 6-foot-4 right-hander, who started the 2019 season in Class high-A Bradenton and finished it in Triple-A...
Pirates love how Jameson Taillon rubbed off on Mitch Keller in their rehab together
For the Pittsburgh Pirates, having the organization’s top two pitchers going through rehabilitation together could have been viewed as a disaster, as both were unavailable to pitch for the major league team. Instead, having Mitch Keller working alongside Jameson Taillon every day was nothing short of a revelation. The Pirates...
Reds boosted by three home runs, ugly sixth inning to sweep Pirates in doubleheader
Just when it looked like the Cincinnati Reds wouldn’t have scored a run in their doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates without hitting a home run, they found a way to make it even worse. With the bases loaded, the Pirates gave up a walk, committed an error and threw a...
Pirates have competition in center with Cole Tucker, Bryan Reynolds trying position
Derek Shelton wouldn’t go so far as to say the Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to create competition at certain positions, but the manager also didn’t deny there will be competition for starting jobs. “We’re not trying to artificially create it, but there will be competition for the end of the...
Pirates go from bad to worse as Royals sweep series with 11-0 victory
Bothered by a blister and a cuticle, Chad Kuhl had no command on his fastball from the start, and it didn’t take long for the Pittsburgh Pirates to watch their game against the Kansas City Royals spin out of control. What transpired was a comedy of errors and their biggest...
Pirates’ Mitch Keller to pitch Monday against Reds, his 1st start in 6 weeks
Mitch Keller will make his first start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in six weeks on Monday, when the right-hander pitches in the second game of a doubleheader at the Cincinnati Reds. Keller (1-1, 3.52 ERA) will face the Reds’ Anthony DeSclafani (1-2, 7.20), after Pirates right-hander Cody Ponce (1-1, 3.46)...
How did Josh Bell get groove back? Pirates slugger stopped taking BP, started laying off pitchesVideo
Josh Bell got the joke right away, given that he had homered in back-to-back games against the Kansas City Royals without taking batting practice before either one. “Yes,” Bell said, with a smile, “I might’ve taken batting practice for the last time this year.” The Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman has...
Royals give Trevor Williams trouble, overcome Pirates’ early homers for 5th straight win
Despite missing batting practice after a delayed arrival to Kauffman Stadium, the Pittsburgh Pirates came out swinging and hit three solo home runs in the first three innings. When the Kansas City Royals punched back, Pirates starter Trevor Williams got knocked out. The right-hander couldn’t protect a two-run lead and...
Pirates manager Derek Shelton reflects on losing his mentor, Mark NewmanVideo
For Derek Shelton, learning of the death of his mentor, Mark Newman, was “a gut punch” that had made the Pittsburgh Pirates manager emotional before Saturday’s game at the Kansas City Royals. As vice president of baseball operations for the New York Yankees, Newman gave Shelton his start as a...
Standoff at Kansas City sports complex delays Pirates’ arrival, start time against RoyalsVideo
With a standoff between an armed man and Kansas City police Saturday afternoon at Truman Sports Complex, the Pittsburgh Pirates remained at their team hotel for four hours awaiting word for when it was safe to go to Kauffman Stadium for their game against the Kansas City Royals. Police responded...
Adalberto Mondesi homers, scores winning run as Royals top Pirates
Ke’Bryan Hayes was off to a hot start to his major league career, so the Pittsburgh Pirates wasted no time to move him into a run-producing role in the lineup. After the son of major leaguer Charlie Hayes showed his top-prospect pedigree in his first seven games, Pirates manager Derek...
Neil Walker’s career could be coming to a close, as Phillies DFA former Pirates star
After 12 seasons in the major leagues, Neil Walker’s major league career could be coming to a close. The 35-year-old Pine-Richland alum and former Pittsburgh Pirates first-round draft pick, one of the cornerstones for the franchise turnaround that led to three consecutive wild-card playoff berths, was designated for assignment Friday...
Pirates call private tour of Negro Leagues Baseball Museum a ‘really special’ visitVideo
Only two days after celebrating the trailblazing accomplishments of Roberto Clemente, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a special stop Friday by visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. “If you’ve never gone, it’s something that you should definitely see,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “It makes you have a...
With no days off, Pirates have many questions to answer in their final 19-game stretch
If the Pittsburgh Pirates need a theme for the remainder of their season, it should be this: No days off. The Pirates (14-27) start the final stretch of the shortened season Friday night at Kansas City. They will play 19 games in 17 days, including doubleheaders at Cincinnati and against...
With Mitch Keller almost ready to return, Pirates must decide his next start
When Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Thursday was the most important day of Mitch Keller’s rehabilitation from an oblique injury, it wasn’t based on how the right-hander performed. Instead, the focus is on how Keller feels the day after throwing a three-inning, 43-pitch live batting practice session at PNC...
White Sox crash Clemente Day celebration, beat Pirates
Caught up in the pageantry of celebrating Roberto Clemente Day and what it meant to Puerto Rico and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Derek Shelton shared that it felt like a national holiday. Then the Pirates rookie manager worried about whether his team would take the night off, focusing more on wearing...
Pirates’ Gregory Polanco on Roberto Clemente: ‘He’s our Jackie Robinson’Video
Gregory Polanco is grateful he not only plays the same position as Roberto Clemente but for the same team, starting in right field for the Pittsburgh Pirates in front of the wall that bears his name and number. Polanco showed his reverence while wearing Clemente’s No. 21 for the first...
After awful start, Pirates finding ways to win close games, preparing to play spoiler
From blowing a four-run lead in the ninth inning of the home opener to a weird wild pitch to a controversial foul-pole home run in extra innings to a no-hitter, the Pittsburgh Pirates have found so many weird ways to lose games this season that it became exasperating. Rookie manager...
Kevin Newman comes up clutch, leads Pirates to walk-off win over White Sox
Kevin Newman came to bat in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox in an ideal situation for someone with his track record of delivering walk-off wins: Bases loaded and no outs. “It’s a good spot to be in with a tie ballgame,” Newman said. “Just went up there...
Puerto Rican players follow Pirates’ push to wear No. 21, celebrate Roberto ClementeVideo
Josh Bell admits he knew little about Roberto Clemente before arriving in Pittsburgh, where mementos, murals and museums serve as constant reminders of the Pirates Hall of Fame right fielder. Nothing represents Clemente quite like his No. 21, which Bell and his Pirates teammates and coaches will wear Wednesday against...
MLB to allow Puerto Rican players to wear No. 21 in celebration of Roberto Clemente DayVideo
MLB has granted permission to Puerto Rican players to wear No. 21 as part of Roberto Clemente Day celebrations on Wednesday, and all players will be allowed to wear a patch with the number to honor the legacy of the late Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame right fielder. The Pirates...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Injury a lost opportunity for Pirates OF Anthony Alford
The sight of Anthony Alford fracturing his right elbow after crashing into the center-field wall made Derek Shelton sick to his stomach, not just because of their history but the lost opportunity for Alford. “Just to see the pain and anguish in his eyes, it’s difficult,” Shelton said. “It’s something...
Eugenio Suarez homers three times as Reds beat Pirates, who lose Anthony Alford to injury
In what has been the story of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates, another player who made a positive impact was lost to injury when outfielder Anthony Alford fractured his right elbow. Alford was injured when he crashed into the center-field wall chasing Tucker Barnhart’s leadoff home run in the...
Pirates take advantage of speed, athleticism of Anthony Alford, Ke’Bryan Hayes on basepaths
Knowing Cincinnati Reds righty Trevor Bauer had two strikes on John Ryan Murphy and expecting him to look for a swing and miss, Anthony Alford took a cue from Pittsburgh Pirates third base coach Joey Cora and stretched his lead down the third-base line. “We knew he was going to...
After defensive lapses in 1st game, Pirates capitalize on Reds error to split doubleheader
The Pittsburgh Pirates had the oddity of a Friday doubleheader that involved a home game followed by a road game against the same opponent, both played in their own ballpark. What they found is there’s no place home when you’re on the road. After being done in by their own...
