Kevin Gorman stories, Page 2
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates taking big swing on slugger with offer to Kyle Schwarber
Pittsburgh Pirates president Travis Williams promised there are resources to “add aggressively” this offseason, so the big story at the start of the MLB Winter Meetings is whether they’ll be serious spenders. Though skeptics are smart to take a wait-and-see approach, a report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on...
Pirates claim IF/OF Marco Luciano off waivers from San Francisco Giants
The Pittsburgh Pirates added another outfielder to the mix Friday by claiming Marco Luciano off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. The 24-year-old Luciano is a former top-100 prospect who has played shortstop, second base and left field. The Pirates acquired a top-100 prospect Thursday night in outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia...
Pirates trade Johan Oviedo to Red Sox for top-100 outfield prospect in 1st move of offseason
The Pittsburgh Pirates made their first move of the offseason, acquiring a top-100 prospect in outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia in a five-player deal that sent right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox. The Pirates are giving up Oviedo, left-handed reliever Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman in exchange for...
Pirates president says team has ‘resources to add aggressively’ in free agency this offseason
Travis Williams smiled in the face of a steady rain before distributing Thanksgiving dinners Tuesday outside PNC Park, reiterating that the Pittsburgh Pirates have changed neither their expectations nor plans. Amid reports they are preparing to be spenders in free agency — linked to sluggers Josh Naylor, Kyle Schwarber and...
Pirates tender contracts to 5 arbitration-eligible players
The Pittsburgh Pirates tendered major-league contracts Friday to five of their arbitration eligible players: outfielder Oneil Cruz, catcher Joey Bart and pitchers Dennis Santana, Johan Oviedo and Justin Lawrence. The other four players who were arbitration eligible — outfielders Alexander Canario and Ronny Simon and right-handed relievers Colin Holderman and...
Pirates avoid arbitration with Jack Suwinski, Yohan Ramierz
Outfielder Jack Suwinski and right-handed reliever Yohan Ramirez were considered candidates to be non-tendered this offseason. Instead, the Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with both Thursday by signing them to contracts for the 2026 season. Suwinski was projected to make $1.7 million by MLBTradeRumors.com after batting .147/.281/.253 with seven doubles, three...
Pirates add 6 prospects to 40-man roster, including top slugger Esmerlyn Valdez
The Pittsburgh Pirates overhauled their 40-man roster Tuesday to protect six prospects from the Rule 5 Draft, including the top slugger and reliever in their minor league system this season. The Pirates added right-handed reliever Brandan Bidois, infielder Jack Brannigan, right-handed starting pitchers Wilber Dotel and Antwone Kelly, lefty reliever...
Pirates hire bench coach, 3rd-base coach to Don Kelly’s staff
The Pittsburgh Pirates hired Kristopher Negron as bench coach and Tony Beasley as third-base coach, according to a league source, rounding out the two key positions remaining on Don Kelly’s staff. Negron, 39, comes to the Pirates from the Seattle Mariners, where he was third-base coach last season after three...
‘That’s the goal’: After winning Cy Young, Paul Skenes eyes a World Series title for Pirates
As Paul Skenes reflected on the historic season that resulted in winning the National League Cy Young Award, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ ace couldn’t help but look forward to the future. For someone who prefers to talk about the why, Skenes admits that awards and accolades are not his motivation. From...
Pirates ace Paul Skenes completes historic season as unanimous NL Cy Young winner
On a day when Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington dismissed trade talk about his ace with the declaration that “Paul Skenes is going to be a Pirate in 2026,” he has some additional incentive: For the first time in 35 years, the Pirates now have a Cy Young Award...
Homewood honors Black baseball pioneer with naming of Pete Hill Way
As two dozen members of his family smiled with pride, the sign for Pete Hill Way was unveiled Monday afternoon amid fanfare at the corner of Hamilton and N. Lang Avenues in Homewood. They wore blue-and-gold jackets and hooded sweatshirts — the colors of Westinghouse High School — and celebrated...
Panthers find their mark from beyond the arc, using 3-pointers to pull away from Longwood
An ugly first half only got uglier when Pitt went to the foul line with frequency, as the Panthers struggled to make free throws by missing eight of their first 12 attempts. So, they took a few steps back. Propelled by the long-distance shooting of Damarco Minor and Brandin Cummings...
Pirates announce spring training schedule, featuring Spring Breakout game against Tigers
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their spring training schedule, which includes 16 of their 31 Grapefruit League games and the Spring Breakout prospect showcase at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. The Pirates will open their spring schedule Feb. 21 against the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota before playing the Tampa Bay Rays...
Pirates ace Paul Skenes up for NL Cy Young Award as baseball writers announce finalists
Despite finishing with a .500 record, Paul Skenes is considered the consensus favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace is now one step closer to making history. Skenes was named a finalist for the NL Cy Young by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
Shortstop Konnor Griffin, pitcher Bubba Chandler earn top awards for Pirates prospects
Konnor Griffin developed into the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball and Bubba Chandler into the game’s top pitching prospect, so their status in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization was indisputable. The Pirates recognized Griffin with their Honus Wagner Player of the Year and Chandler with the Bob Friend Pitcher of...
Esmerlyn Valdez swings his way to Pirates’ Willie Stargell Slugger of the Year award
Before Esmerlyn Valdez made noise in the Arizona Fall League by hitting eight home runs in his first nine games, he led all Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguers in homers this season. So it was befitting that the Pirates named the 21-year-old outfielder/first baseman who hit 26 home runs across two...
Edward Florentino, a top-100 prospect, headlines Pirates’ rookie-level award winners
Where Konnor Griffin developed into baseball’s top prospect and the consensus minor league player of the year this season, another teenage Pittsburgh Pirates prospect made a powerful impression. Edward Florentino, an 18-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, dominated the Florida Complex League and earned a promotion to Low-A Bradenton to...
Pirates hire pitching coach Bill Murphy from Astros, marking 1st hire for Don Kelly’s staff
The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the most talented young pitching staffs in baseball, so they hired one of the game’s top young pitching coaches in Bill Murphy, a source confirmed to TribLive. The 35-year-old Murphy has been with the Houston Astros since 2016, serving as one of their major...
Pirates have Gold Glove finalists in utility fielder Jared Triolo, left fielder Tommy Pham
After having a Gold Glove winner in three of the past four seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance to produce multiple winners in the same season. Jared Triolo, a 2024 National League Gold Glove winner, was a repeat finalist as a utility fielder and Tommy Pham is a finalist...
Pirates claim outfielder Will Robertson off waivers from White Sox, DFA Ryan Kreidler
The Pittsburgh Pirates added an outfielder who flashed some power in the minor leagues by claiming Will Robertson off waivers Monday from the Chicago White Sox. The 27-year-old made his major-league debut last season, batting .129 (9 for 70) with one double and nine RBIs with 27 strikeouts against two...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates need to focus on future with urgency to win more now
The Pittsburgh Pirates started the season with a proclamation. “It’s time to win,” Derek Shelton said in March. “That’s the only focus.” They opened PNC Park with a mandate. “We didn’t win enough,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting told TribLive on April 4, before the home opener. “We need to win...
Paul Skenes wins landslide vote for Baseball Digest/Inside Edge MLB pitcher of the year
Paul Skenes has been selected the Baseball Digest/Inside Edge MLB pitcher of the year by landslide voting, making him the first Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to win the publication’s award. Skenes, who won Baseball Digest’s National League rookie of the year award last year, led the major leagues with a 1.97...
As Pirates address power problems, hitters want to see them address ballpark dimensions
When assessing a Pittsburgh Pirates offense that ranked last in the major leagues in home runs, runs scored, RBIs, slugging percentage and OPS, general manager Ben Cherington didn’t mince words. “We’ve got to score more runs,” Cherington said. How the Pirates will do that will be the focus of their...
Dennis Santana served as most reliable reliever in a Pirates bullpen of constant flux
There is a widespread belief in baseball that every reliever wants to be the closer, and every closer wants to make a memorable entrance in the ninth inning and record the final three outs of the game. Dennis Santana is no different. “I always dreamed about that,” Santana said in...
Pirates took calculated risk by changing pitching coaches in push to maximize talent
Don Kelly repeatedly made the point that pitching was the foundation for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Paul Skenes an overwhelming favorite to win the National League Cy Young and anchoring a staff that led MLB in shutouts and ranked in the top 10 in multiple categories. So, it came across...
