Kevin Gorman stories, Page 19
Key to being healthy: Pirates 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes hopes he conquered chronic back issues
BRADENTON, Fla. — On a day where the attention is typically focused on the first workout for pitchers and catchers, all eyes were on Ke’Bryan Hayes taking grounders and making throws across the infield. The 2023 NL Gold Glove third baseman showed positive signs Wednesday morning at Pirate City, smiling...
With Spencer Horwitz out after wrist surgery, Pirates explore internal options at 1st base
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates suffered a serious setback before spring training started, as newly acquired first baseman Spencer Horwitz will miss six to eight weeks after undergoing wrist surgery. Horwitz’s absence, possibly for the entirety of spring training, forces general manager Ben Cherington to go back to the...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Health of Ke’Bryan Hayes tops Pirates’ spring training storylines
Ke’Bryan Hayes knows his best ability for the Pittsburgh Pirates is his availability, and lingering injuries have been the biggest liability of his major-league career. When healthy, Hayes is an elite defender at third base with an NL Gold Glove on his resume. He was a 4.0 WAR player voted...
With a superstar in pitcher Paul Skenes, the Pirates start spring training ‘ready to win’
While the start of spring training represents a season of endless possibilities, the Pittsburgh Pirates begins theirs on Wednesday with an air of certainty because of one player: Paul Skenes. The Pirates know they have a superstar in Skenes, the 6-foot-6 All-Star right-handed pitcher who blew away batters with his...
Dave Parker’s Hall of Fame plaque will depict the 1978 NL MVP wearing a Pirates cap
When Dave Parker is enshrined in Cooperstown this summer, his plaque will have him wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates cap, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced Monday. Parker, a seven-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, two-time batting champion and 1978 National League MVP, will have his plaque revealed...
Analysis: With Ben Cherington, Derek Shelton on hot seat, Pirates must find ways to win
In a pitch to pacify a frustrated fan base, Pittsburgh Pirates president Travis Williams acknowledged their passion was evident “because we’re not winning and have expectations of winning” before assuring everyone about the club’s commitment to want to win. To prove how close the Pirates are to winning, Williams pointed...
‘Speak up’: Pirates stars Andrew McCutchen, Bryan Reynolds vow to be more vocal leaders
They were traded for one another in one of the most controversial moves in recent Pittsburgh Pirates history, a deal that sent franchise icon Andrew McCutchen to San Francisco for an unproven Bryan Reynolds. The two have tiptoed around that topic the past two seasons, even as they formed the...
Pirates by Position: Paul Skenes brings star power to a deep, young starting rotation
After setting a Pittsburgh Pirates rookie record for strikeouts and posting the lowest ERA by a rookie since the Dead Ball Era, Paul Skenes is taking a three-step approach to spring training. “Volume. Facing hitters again. Punching dudes out,” Skenes said last month at PiratesFest. The 6-foot-6 right-hander went 11-3...
Pirates by Position: Bounce-back year by closer David Bednar could be key to bullpen success
Ben Cherington will be the first to admit the Pittsburgh Pirates expected their bullpen to be dominant last season, and their general manager is the first to acknowledge its shortcomings. Adding seven-time All-Star Aroldis Chapman to a back end that featured two-time All-Star closer David Bednar was supposed to deliver...
Pirates to sign veteran OF Tommy Pham to 1-year, $4.025M contract
The Pittsburgh Pirates addressed a glaring need but did so by adding a 36-year-old outfielder who has played for nine teams in 11 seasons, including five trips to the postseason. A source confirmed to TribLive that the Pirates agreed to terms with Tommy Pham on a one-year, $4.025 million contract...
Pirates by Position: Competition for corner outfield alongside Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds
Now that the Pittsburgh Pirates completed a seismic shift by moving Oneil Cruz from shortstop to center field — a switch to which they appear committed — they are attempting to address another gaping hole. With Cruz and two-time All-Star Bryan Reynolds, two-thirds of their outfield appears set. But after...
Pirates announce hirings, promotions of directors in baseball operations reorganization
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington formally announced Wednesday the hiring of several baseball operations directors and staff promotions as part of a promised reorganization of the front office. Mike Voltmer joins the Pirates as the new vice president of pro evaluation and strategy after eight years with the reigning...
Pirates by Position: Isiah Kiner-Falefa takes over at SS, Nick Gonzales settles in at 2B
When the Pittsburgh Pirates moved Oneil Cruz to center field late last August, it solved a problem at one position but appeared to create another: With Cruz in the outfield, who would play shortstop? The immediate answer was Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who started 17 of the next 20 games at shortstop...
Pirates by Position: Counting on 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes’ health, 1B Spencer Horwitz’s hitting
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a trio of Gold Glove winners and a player billed as the “significant acquisition” of the offseason, yet their corner infield spots might be the biggest question marks in the lineup. Defensively, the Pirates are in good hands at third base, whether Ke’Bryan Hayes or Jared...
Pirates sign lefty reliever Tim Mayza, designate middle infielder Alika Williams for assignment
To add left-handed reliever Tim Mayza to their 40-man roster Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates cleared room in the middle of their infield by designating Alika Williams for assignment. Williams, 25, started 44 games at shortstop and 15 at second base for the Pirates over the past two seasons since being...
Pirates by Position: Joey Bart ready to live up to billing, as catcher becomes position of depth
In the span of one year for the Pittsburgh Pirates, catcher has gone from a precarious position to one with enough depth that there promises to be plenty of competition in spring training. But the Pirates were clear that the catcher who wasn’t on their Opening Day roster last season...
‘We have buy-in’: Pirates’ Paul Skenes aims to be catalyst in creating a championship cultureVideo
Before the arrival of Paul Skenes, the expectation around the Pittsburgh Pirates was that the players locked into long-term contracts would take on a leadership role in the locker room. After starting for the National League in the All-Star Game, winning NL Rookie of the Year honors and finishing third...
‘Where is Bob?’ Pirates fans voice frustrations about franchise direction under Bob Nutting
The Pittsburgh Pirates play a game of chance by offering fans the opportunity to Ask Pirates Management questions at PiratesFest, so team president Travis Williams knew that he would be facing a first-pitch fastball Saturday morning at David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Williams responded to criticism about the Pirates not...
Pirates sign pair of shortstops ranked in top 20 to headline international class
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed a pair of shortstops from the Dominican Republic who are both ranked in Baseball America’s top 20 international prospects to seven-figure deals Wednesday. Headlining the Pirates’ international class is Johan De Los Santos, who signed for $2.25 million, and Darrell Morel, who signed for $1,778,600. The...
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says future at quarterback will require ‘major discussions’
Mike Tomlin acknowledged the obvious: The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the offseason without a quarterback under contract and a need for “major discussions” about what to do at the most prominent position. In his season-ending news conference Tuesday afternoon at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Tomlin sidestepped questions about what the Steelers...
‘We all love Coach T’: Players voice support for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin despite collapse
After a late-season collapse ended with another one-and-done playoff performance, the Pittsburgh Steelers know changes are coming. Where frustrated fans want that to start with Mike Tomlin, the team’s most decorated player voiced support for the embattled coach. As the Steelers cleaned out their lockers Monday at UPMC Rooney Sports...
Reliever Hunter Stratton among 13 players with non-roster invites to Pirates spring training
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Monday that 13 players have received non-roster invitations to their major league camp for spring training, including several relievers who have pitched out of their bullpen. Right-handers Isaac Mattson, Yohan Ramirez and Hunter Stratton will be among the familiar faces when pitchers and catchers report Feb....
‘I hope I’m here’: Free agent quarterback Russell Wilson open to returning to Steelers
BALTIMORE — Russell Wilson is a man who loves to talk about moments, and the Pittsburgh Steelers signed the Super Bowl champion quarterback for ones such as their AFC wild-card game. When it came time to be the man of the moment, Wilson — and the Steelers — came up...
Ravens run roughshod over Steelers to win AFC wild card game, extend streak of playoff futility
BALTIMORE — The Pittsburgh Steelers had no answers. Not for Lamar Jackson’s read-option runs or big-play passes. Not for Derrick Henry’s breakaway bursts through the middle. And certainly not for a streak of playoff futility that stretched to six straight losses in an eight-year span under Steelers coach Mike Tomlin,...
Steelers rookies realize urgency of raised stakes in preparation for Ravens in 1st playoffs
As the Pittsburgh Steelers practiced for Saturday’s AFC wild-card game against the Baltimore Ravens, the stakes started to sink in for four rookies who played significant roles this season. It was a normal game week, save the consequences. “It’s single elimination. Win, you move on; lose, you go home,” center...
