Kevin Gorman stories, Page 29
Pirates sign 1st-round pick Konnor Griffin, who says he’s ‘ready to take the challenges’
Before the Pittsburgh Pirates made the No. 9 overall pick in the MLB Draft, general manager Ben Cherington listened to everyone from the team’s analysts to coaches to scouts and strength and conditioning trainers speak with excitement about Konnor Griffin. When the Pirates signed Griffin on Wednesday to a $6,532,025...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates traded with an eye on the future, protecting pitching prospects
With the Pittsburgh Pirates hovering just above .500 going into the trade deadline, there were questions about whether they would be buyers or sellers and what they were willing to give up to get what they wanted. Somehow, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington managed to address three of their primary...
Michael A. Taylor hammers another homer, as Pirates beat Astros to clinch series win
Ben Cherington wouldn’t say whether the Pittsburgh Pirates deciding not to acquire a center fielder at the trade deadline was a vote of confidence for Michael A. Taylor. But a day after Taylor delivered a three-run home run in the ninth inning of a comeback win against the Houston Astros,...
Pirates place RHP Carmen Mlodzinski on IL, select contract of RHP Jake Woodford
In addition to their acquisitions at Tuesday’s trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a series of roster moves involving their pitching staff. Right-handed reliever Carmen Mlodzinski was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. The Pirates selected the contract of righty Jake Woodford from Triple-A Indianapolis...
Pirates acquire LF Bryan De La Cruz, INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa, trade LHP Martin Perez to Padres
With the Pittsburgh Pirates two games back in wild-card standings, general manager Ben Cherington wanted to give them a chance to contend by adding players who can impact the team this season and beyond. After dealing for left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks on Monday night, Cherington swung a trio of 11th-hour...
Pirates acquire lefty reliever Josh Walker from Mets in trade deadline deal
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington made his third deal before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline, adding to the bullpen depth Tuesday by acquiring left-handed reliever Josh Walker from the New York Mets. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Walker, who was designated for assignment July 26, has elite extension and a three-pitch...
Ke’Bryan Hayes bounces back from costly error to draw pivotal walk in Pirates’ comeback win
Ke’Bryan Hayes is such an elite defender that the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman has made spectacular plays look routine, so his error on a routine grounder was something of a spectacle. When Houston Astros star Jose Altuve hit a bases-loaded grounder to Hayes with one out in the fifth inning...
Michael A. Taylor’s 3-run homer in 9th lifts Pirates to comeback win over Astros
When a late scratch forced the Houston Astros to replace their scheduled starter, it appeared the Pittsburgh Pirates had a major advantage with rookie phenom Paul Skenes on the mound. It proved just the opposite, as a pair of Astros relievers were perfect through five innings and the Pirates were...
Pirates sign 2nd-round pick Wyatt Sanford, as prep shortstop receives $2.5 million bonus
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed their second-round selection in the MLB Draft, Texas prep shortstop Wyatt Sanford. Sanford, who was signed by scout John Lombardo, received a $2.5 million bonus, per Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, which was over the slot value of $1,984,800 for the No. 47 pick. The 6-foot-1,...
Pirates activate Bryan Reynolds, reinstate Bailey Falter, option Jack Suwinski to minors
Bryan Reynolds and Bailey Falter are back with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Jack Suwinski is headed back to the minors. The Pirates made multiple roster moves Monday before the start of their three-game series at the Houston Astros. They should get an offensive boost from Reynolds, who was activated from...
Pirates trade RHP Quinn Priester to Red Sox for IF/OF Nick Yorke in swap of former 1st-rounders
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made no secret of their desire to upgrade their offense, though their first deal to do so before Tuesday’s trade deadline was for a top-10 prospect when they sent right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester to the Boston Red Sox for minor league infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke in a...
‘What if?’: At 37, Andrew McCutchen reflects on place among Pirates’ all-time greats
Andrew McCutchen can become annoyed easily by the mere mention of milestones, as the Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter has made it clear that he’s more interested in chasing championships than career numbers. McCutchen also is a husband and father of four, so he’s quick to add that being a baseball...
Luis Ortiz has inefficient start, Diamondbacks rally from 3-run deficit to beat Pirates
Luis Ortiz was inefficient but effective in limiting damage by the Arizona Diamondbacks through the first five innings, especially in striking out slugger Joc Pederson twice. When the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the right-hander out for the sixth inning, Pederson made him pay for leaving a two-strike fastball over the middle...
Pirates recall IF/OF Ji Hwan Bae, activate RHP Hunter Stratton, DFA LHP Josh Fleming
With All-Star outfielder Bryan Reynolds on the bereavement list, the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday recalled infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae from Triple-A Indianapolis. Bae was batting .373/.421/.510 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and nine RBIs for the Indianapolis Indians in July. The 25-year-old South Korean batted .208 (5...
Pirates sign prep pitcher Levi Sterling to a $2.5 million bonus, plus 2 more draft picks
The Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday signed three more draft picks, including prep pitcher Levi Sterling, who is a top-100 prospect, and assigned them to the Florida Complex League in Bradenton. Sterling, who was selected No. 37 overall in the Competitive Balance-A round, was signed by scout Brian Tracy for a...
Pirates place OF Bryan Reynolds on bereavement list, add Ji Hwan Bae to taxi squad
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they have placed Bryan Reynolds on the major-league bereavement list Thursday, which requires a minimum stay of three games. That means the All-Star outfielder will miss at least two games against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend. Reynolds was a late scratch from Wednesday’s 5-0 win over...
‘Lots of shades of gray’: Pirates will weigh value of dealing top prospects at trade deadline
After years of stocking their system with prospects through the MLB Draft, international signings and trade-deadline deals, the Pittsburgh Pirates are finally in position to use minor leaguers to acquire players to improve their major-league roster for a potential playoff run. With the Pirates (52-50) sitting seven games back in...
Late replacement Rowdy Tellez has 2 RBIs as Pirates blank Cardinals for series win
With Bryan Reynolds a late scratch, the Pittsburgh Pirates inserted lefty slugger Rowdy Tellez into the starting lineup as a last-minute replacement even though they were facing a left-handed pitcher. Tellez responded with an RBI single in the second inning and a solo home run that landed in the Allegheny...
Pirates sign 4th-round pick Eddie Rynders, a prep shortstop from Wisconsin
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Wednesday the signing of Eddie Rynders, a shortstop from Wisconsin Lutheran High School who was a fourth-round draft pick. Rynders, who was scouted by Anthony Wycklendt, was rated the No. 229 prospect by MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder, who batted .411 as a junior and was...
GM Ben Cherington says Pirates ‘right in the middle’ of trade talks to upgrade offense
As Ben Cherington expressed his belief in the Pittsburgh Pirates in one breath, the general manager addressed their need for offensive improvement in another while talking about the July 30 trade deadline. What Cherington wanted to make clear Wednesday morning is that he won’t be making deals in reaction to...
The Skenes Show: Pirates phenom welcomes challenge of being baseball’s newest superstarVideo
Paul Skenes heard the PNC Park crowd chanting when he took the mound in the ninth inning, though the Pittsburgh Pirates phenom was so locked in that he couldn’t grasp the magnitude of the moment. The rookie right-hander has captivated the baseball world since leading LSU to the College World...
Cardinals score in 9th to beat Pirates, hand rookie Paul Skenes his 1st loss
The crowd roared when Paul Skenes took the mound for the ninth inning, chanting “M-V-P!” as the Pittsburgh Pirates gave the rookie phenom a chance to pitch the first complete game of his major-league career. In his first start since the All-Star Game, Skenes showed ruthless efficiency and made only...
Nick Gonzales drives in winning run in 8th inning as Pirates edge Cardinals
The Pittsburgh Pirates have come to expect that when Nick Gonzales comes to the plate in late-game situations, the rookie second baseman does so with a slow heartbeat and a knack for game-winning hits. Gonzales singled to score Bryan Reynolds in the bottom of the eighth inning for his eighth...
Pirates sign 5 Day 2 draft picks, including a pitcher with Westmoreland County ties
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed five college players selected on the second day of the MLB Draft — including one with Westmoreland County ties — and assigned them to the Florida Complex League in Bradenton, Fla. Pirates amateur scouting director Justin Horowitz announced the signings Monday of three pitchers, a shortstop...
Locked in: Now healthy, Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz off to a strong start to 2nd halfVideo
On Oneil Cruz’s first swing of the second half, he smoked Aaron Nola’s changeup off the base of the center-field wall at an exit velocity of 120.5 mph for an RBI double that saw him slide effortlessly into second base. That was a sign Cruz could be a catalyst for...
