Kevin Gorman stories, Page 36
‘It’s important for us’: Home opener battery of Jared Jones, Henry Davis paints Pirates’ future
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With 22-year-old right-hander Jared Jones on the mound and 24-year-old Henry Davis expected to be behind the plate for the home opener Friday at PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates are giving a glimpse of their future to fans. Where Jones is almost half the age of Rich...
Derek Shelton ‘excited’ to catch Jim Leyland’s ceremonial 1st pitch at Pirates’ home opener
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Derek Shelton broke into a big smile and laughed when asked what it means to the Pittsburgh Pirates manager that Jim Leyland will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday at PNC Park. Then Shelton quickly added...
Jack Suwinski finds favorable matchups, produces extra-base hits for Pirates in defeat
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jack Suwinski waited five games to finally face a right-handed starting pitcher and move into the cleanup spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lineup. The lefty slugger came off the bench in three of the first five games this season, as the Pirates faced a steady string of...
Mitch Keller hit hard, Pirates strike out 13 times in first loss of season
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pittsburgh Pirates were bound to lose eventually. They went down swinging, only after having so many strike calls go against them. The Washington Nationals struck out 13 batters, with five going down looking at called third strikes. When Bryan Reynolds was called for breaking his wrists...
‘You got some Yinzer in ya’: Pirates catcher Joey Bart has deep family ties to Lower Burrell
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As soon as Joey Bart got word that he had been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, he called his father. Tommy Bart grew up in Lower Burrell, where he was a multi-sport star for the Burrell Bucs and instilled his love for Western Pennsylvania in his son....
‘An awesome privilege’: Pirates rookie RHP Jared Jones to start vs. Orioles in home opener
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Jared Jones didn’t realize he was scheduled to start Friday’s home opener for the Pittsburgh Pirates until he got a text message from his father. Even then, the 22-year-old rookie right-hander remained skeptical. “He goes, ‘Hey, you know you’re scheduled for the home opener?’ No, I’m not....
Pirates put catcher Jason Delay on injured list, making room for Joey Bart
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed catcher Jason Delay on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right knee inflammation, making room on the active roster for newly acquired catcher Joey Bart. Delay went 0 for 3 with a walk and a sacrifice in the Pirates’ 9-7 win over the Miami Marlins...
‘We should be excited’: Sizzling debuts by Paul Skenes, Jared Jones look promising for Pirates
Before Jared Jones made his major-league debut Saturday, he drew inspiration by watching a minor-league game. Jones saw Paul Skenes top triple digits on a dozen fastballs and strike out five of the nine batters he faced in three perfect innings against Louisville in his debut for Triple-A Indianapolis. “I...
Jared Jones strikes out 10 in MLB debut as Pirates beat Marlins, improve to 3-0
Jared Jones promised to shove in his major-league debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the 22-year-old right-hander exceeded expectations against the Miami Marlins. Jones recorded 10 strikeouts — one shy of the franchise record for a debut — while allowing three runs on three hits and two walks in 51⁄3...
Pirates top prospect Paul Skenes perfect in 3 innings in Triple-A debut for Indianapolis
Paul Skenes’ Triple-A debut was short but perfect. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound right-hander, selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, struck out five of the nine batters he faced and didn’t allow a baserunner in three innings Saturday afternoon for the Indianapolis...
‘Calm in a crucial spot’: Pirates reliever Ryder Ryan impressive in earning 1st MLB win
After making the Opening Day roster, Ryder Ryan was excited to make his Pittsburgh Pirates debut. Instead, he watched and waited through a 12-inning game in the season opener at Miami. When Ryan got the bullpen call in the fifth inning against the Marlins on Friday night, the 28-year-old right-hander...
Pirates practice patience early in drawing walks, use timely hits to beat Marlins
After striking out 17 times in the season opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates found it better not to swing against the Miami Marlins. The Pirates were content to wait and see if closer-turned-starter A.J. Puk could throw strikes, which the 6-foot-7 left-hander struggled to do with any consistency. After allowing only...
Pirates trade injured pitcher JT Brubaker to Yankees
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a surprise move Friday, trading right-handed pitcher JT Brubaker and international bonus pool money to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later. A 2015 sixth-round draft pick from Akron, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Brubaker avoided his second year of arbitration by signing for...
Luis Ortiz, Jose Hernadez shine in extra innings as bullpen boosts Pirates to Opening Day win
Jose Hernandez threw the 0-2 slider, then spun around to watch it when Bryan De La Cruz drove it deep to right field before it landed in the glove of Bryan Reynolds at the warning track. Hernandez punched his glove then pumped his left fist in the air to celebrate...
Jared Triolo delivers winning RBI in 12th, Jose Hernandez earns save as Pirates win opener
The Pittsburgh Pirates got an extra-inning win on Opening Day thanks to a hit by a player in his first season opener and a save by a pitcher who wasn’t even supposed to be on the active roster. Jared Triolo singled in the winning run in the top of the...
Henry Davis earns Opening Day start at catcher for Pirates, Connor Joe to bat leadoff at Marlins
Henry Davis, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft, will make the first start behind the plate of his major league career Thursday for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day in Miami. Davis is one of two Pirates players, along with second baseman Jared Triolo, making their...
Pirates DFA Canaan Smith-Njigba, 2 others to make Opening Day roster room for pitchers
In the span of a year, Canaan Smith-Njigba went from starting in right field for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day at Cincinnati to being designated for assignment to make room on the active roster. Smith-Njigba was one of three casualties to clear 40-man roster space before Thursday’s season opener...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Despite poor projections, Pirates plan to surprise people
For all of the focus on their shortcomings at the start of spring training, the Pittsburgh Pirates are out to prove something to their naysayers: They are going to surprise people this season. After back-to-back 100-loss campaigns, the Pirates stunned the baseball world by starting 2023 with the best record...
300 game: Pirates star Andrew McCutchen starts season sitting 1 home run shy of milestone
After a season of meeting milestones — his 2,000th hit, 1,000th walk and 400th double — Andrew McCutchen came up one short of joining the 300-home run club last year. The Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter, a five-time All Star, four-time Silver Slugger and 2013 NL MVP, is sitting at 299...
Previewing the Pirates: Mitch Keller tops starting rotation that awaits Paul Skenes’ arrival
For as much as Derek Shelton loves to play coy about his Opening Day lineup, the Pittsburgh Pirates were only a week into spring training when the manager revealed Mitch Keller would be the starting pitcher. Of course, that news was revealed on the heels of Keller agreeing to a...
Previewing the Pirates: Adding Aroldis Chapman boosts bullpen led by David Bednar
The Pittsburgh Pirates had the most efficient closer in baseball last season, as two-time All-Star David Bednar led the majors by converting 93% of his save opportunities. What stood out about their bullpen, however, was how many relievers thrived in high-leverage situations: Sinkerballer Colin Holderman ranked ninth in MLB in...
Previewing the Pirates: Michael A. Taylor cements CF, Edward Olivares adds OF depth
The Pittsburgh Pirates played a game of musical chairs in their outfield in spring training, trying multiple players in center field in an effort to improve their defense before settling on one with a Gold Glove. The late-spring signing of Michael A. Taylor cemented center field but caused more movement,...
Jake Lamb’s 2-run single lifts Pirates past the Blue Jays in Grapefruit League finale
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has found that spring training can have bookends to the conversations he has at its start and before making Opening Day roster decisions. Cherington didn’t know Jake Lamb personally before this spring, but the 33-year-old corner infielder/outfielder made quite the impression on the Pirates,...
Jared Jones wins spot in starting rotation, Luis Ortiz in bulk role as Pirates make final cuts
That the sensation of spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates was a right-handed pitcher they drafted and developed was no surprise. But Jared Jones kept checking boxes to earn a spot in the starting rotation. That the 22-year-old Jones, a 2020 second-round pick, made the club and 2023 No. 1...
Lefty Martin Perez throws 3 scoreless innings in final spring start, but Yankees beat Pirates
Martin Perez was warming up in the bullpen when he heard familiar voices calling for him. It was the Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander’s daughter and son, who were present for his final start of spring training. Having his family there for support was a sign Perez is ready for the start...
