Kevin Gorman stories, Page 30
Pirates GM Ben Cherington: Win streak could ‘clarify’ whether to be trade buyers or sellers
Ben Cherington called July an “incredibly exciting” time but also a month in baseball that can be “exhausting,” and the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager knows his work is far from done. “We’ve made July into quite a month in baseball,” Cherington said on his weekly radio show on Pirates flagship...
‘People love Jim Leyland’: Pirates get thrills, chills in anticipation of Hall of Fame induction
Don Kelly stood on the field during batting practice Saturday afternoon at PNC Park wearing a wide smile and a black T-shirt celebrating Jim Leyland’s induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Just the thought of Leyland being enshrined among the game’s greats Sunday afternoon in Cooperstown, N.Y., gave...
Nick Gonzales singles in 9th, Pirates rally for walk-off win over Phillies
When the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied twice from early deficits to tie the Philadelphia Phillies, it didn’t just keep them in the game. It provided a belief that the best team in baseball was beatable. The Pirates believed that, even as manager Derek Shelton’s decision to rest Mitch Keller and Paul...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates fans fuming about Mitch Keller, Paul Skenes skipping Phillies
The Pittsburgh Pirates finished the first half of the season on a positive note to pull their record to .500 for the first time since April 27, giving fans a glimmer of hope they could be a playoff contender. By taking two of three at the NL Central first-place Milwaukee...
Paul Skenes’ meteoric rise aside, development process takes time for Pirates draft picks
The Pittsburgh Pirates are treating the drafting and development of Paul Skenes like a phenomenon, given his unprecedented rise from No. 1 overall pick to the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game. With Skenes serving as an anomaly by making an immediate impact, the Pirates focused on the future when...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: With Paul Skenes in a starring role, can the Pirates imagine playoffs?
The Pittsburgh Pirates were in the All-Star Game spotlight from start to finish, with rookie Paul Skenes making history in the first inning and Bryan Reynolds the final out in the ninth. As impressive as Skenes was in becoming the first player to go from No. 1 overall draft pick...
Pirates OF Bryan Reynolds lines a single in 7th inning, strikes out to end All-Star Game
Bryan Reynolds got a much different All-Star Game experience than his Pittsburgh Pirates teammate. Where Paul Skenes started for the National League and didn’t give up a hit or record a strikeout in the first inning, Reynolds was a reserve who got a knock in his first at-bat and ended...
Bethel Park’s Mason Miller brings heat to strike out Shohei Ohtani, Trea Turner in All-Star Game
As expected, a right-handed pitcher from Pittsburgh dominated the All-Star Game with his power pitching. Move over, Pirates rookie Paul Skenes. Make room for Bethel Park native Mason Miller. The 25-year-old Oakland A’s closer topped triple digits on eight of his 12 pitches and struck out Los Angeles Dodgers superstar...
Pirates rookie Paul Skenes shines in All-Star Game, makes quick work of Aaron Judge
Baseball fans got their wish, as Paul Skenes faced Aaron Judge in the All-Star Game. New York Yankees star Juan Soto made good on his promise to get his teammate a first-inning at-bat, drawing a full-count walk against the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander to set up the monster matchup between...
All-Star live file: Pirates rookie Paul Skenes shines in making quick work of Aaron Judge
Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes got out of a jam in the top of the first inning, when he walked Shohei Ohtani and Bryce Harper hit a two-out double to left off Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes to put a pair of runners in scoring position but got William Contreras to ground out. That...
Pirates load up on college arms, more middle infielders on Day 2 of MLB Draft
When the Pittsburgh Pirates picked three prep prospects on the first day of an MLB Draft that was considered loaded with college talent, it raised eyebrows and begged a question. General manager Ben Cherington was asked Sunday night why the Pirates opted for high-ceiling high schoolers over high-floor college players...
Pirates give scout his flowers by wearing Hawaiian shirts in war room for MLB Draft
When cameras showed the celebration inside the Pittsburgh Pirates’ war room after they made their first-round pick Sunday night in the MLB Draft, it showed a room full of people in matching shirts. That was how the Pirates paid tribute to the area scout who showed up to the draft...
MLB Draft Day 2: Pirates take another prep shortstop, load up on college pitchers
A look at the Pittsburgh Pirates’ picks on the second day of the MLB Draft: • With their first choice, at No. 83 overall in the third round, the Pirates selected left-handed pitcher Josh Hartle of Wake Forest. The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder was an All-American as a sophomore, when he went...
Pirates pick smooth defensive prep shortstop Wyatt Sanford in 2nd round
The Pittsburgh Pirates chose another prep shortstop in Wyatt Sanford of Independence, Texas, with the No. 47 overall pick in the second round of the MLB Draft on Sunday. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Sanford, a Texas A&M recruit, is ranked the No. 35 prospect by MLB.com and No. 42 by Baseball...
Pirates make ‘easy’ pick by taking RHP Levi Sterling of Notre Dame HS at No. 37 overall
When the Pittsburgh Pirates selected right-handed pitcher Levi Sterling in the MLB Draft, they made it sound as if it was as easy as his delivery. The Pirates picked Sterling, of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., with their second pick in the MLB Draft, No. 37 overall...
Pirates pick ‘potential 5-tool superstar’ in prep shortstop Konnor Griffin in 1st round of draftVideo
When the Pittsburgh Pirates saw that Konnor Griffin was available at the No. 9 pick in the MLB Draft on Sunday night, their war room erupted in celebration that they could draft the prospect considered to have the highest ceiling. The Pirates used their first-round selection Griffin, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound...
‘That’s the stage people want to pitch on’: Pirates rookie Paul Skenes excited to start All-Star Game
Even as Paul Skenes said skyrocketing from No. 1 overall pick to National League starter in the All-Star Game in a year “doesn’t feel like anything out of the ordinary,” the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander couldn’t hide his excitement about pitching against baseball’s best players. During an in-game interview on...
With Paul Skenes shining, Pirates under pressure to draft immediate help in 1st round
As the Pittsburgh Pirates bask in the buzz that surrounds Paul Skenes, who has gone from No. 1 overall pick to National League starting pitcher in the All-Star Game, they enter the MLB Draft with a top-10 pick for the fifth consecutive year. With the No. 9 overall selection, however,...
Pirates bullpen coach’s nephew a top pitching prospect in MLB Draft
Justin Meccage has heard from people all over baseball in advance of the MLB Draft, in hopes the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen coach can offer some unique insight on a top-100 prospect. His nephew, Bryce Meccage, is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound right-hander who pairs an upper-90s fastball with two high-spin breaking pitches...
‘It’s critical, period’: Pirates stress importance of hitting on draft picks following the 1st round
With Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander Paul Skenes becoming the first player in major-league history to go from No. 1 overall pick to the All-Star Game in the span of a year, it’s no wonder the focus of the MLB Draft is always on finding another generational talent. The Pittsburgh Pirates...
How Pirates All-Star rookie RHP Paul Skenes developed his splinker into a ‘devastating’ pitch
Only after he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates last July did Paul Skenes start toying with a new pitch, one that has been called everything from dirty and disgusting to filthy and nasty to just plain “gross.” Now that the 22-year-old rookie pitcher has become the first player selected...
Motivated by All-Star snub, Mitch Keller goes 8 innings for 10th win to propel Pirates past Mets
After being snubbed for the All-Star Game, Mitch Keller had no shortage of motivation to show he’s one of baseball’s top starting pitchers. It didn’t take long for the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander to remind the New York Mets why he’s the staff ace, striking out the side in the first...
Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes, outfielder Bryan Reynolds selected to All-Star Game
Paul Skenes can add another accomplishment in his accelerated rise to superstardom, as the 22-year-old right-hander became the first Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher ever selected to the All-Star Game. A second All-Star appearance is the latest achievement on Bryan Reynolds’ resume after the Pirates outfielder signed the richest contract in...
Mets score 2 runs off Aroldis Chapman in 9th to rally past Pirates
A game that was scoreless through seven innings suddenly got interesting when the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets turned to their closers with multiple All-Star appearances. Instead of closing the door, they left it open. When the Mets brought in Edwin Diaz with two on and two out in...
Pirates place LHP Bailey Falter on 15-day IL, select contract of RHP Brent Honeywell Jr.
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed starting left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter on the 15-day injured list with left triceps tendinitis Sunday, then shook up a bullpen that was depleted by his injury. Falter, who is 4-7 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 90 1/3 innings over 17 starts, was removed...
