Kevin Gorman stories, Page 8
Pirates notebook: Liover Peguero returns with versatility; starting rotation resets after break
Liover Peguero has bounced back and forth between Triple-A Indianapolis and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now that he’s back in the major leagues, look for him to bounce around the infield. Once a top-10 prospect, the 24-year-old has made 28 starts at shortstop, 22 appearances at third base, nine starts at...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Why the Pirates should ‘stay open-minded’ leading up to trade deadline
Ben Cherington wasted no time to address the Pittsburgh Pirates after a failure of a first half in which they fired the manager, tied a dubious major-league record and endured the pendulum swing of successive sweeps that involved back-to-back series with shutout wins and losses. On what is generally considered...
Pirates start 2nd day of MLB Draft by picking Puerto Rican shortstop, Arizona catcher
On the second day of the MLB Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates loaded up on college hitters. The Pirates professed they picked the best players available Sunday night in a pair of right-handed prep pitchers from southern California in Seth Hernandez (No. 6) and Angel Cervantes (No. 50) and college sluggers...
MLB Draft Analysis: Pirates take best available with prep pitchers in 1st 2 picks, will address needs later
When the MLB Draft started with stunners for the first two selections, the Pittsburgh Pirates were prepared to pivot in a number of different directions with the No. 6 overall pick. They believed the odds were against Seth Hernandez slipping to them, so they were “super excited” to take the...
Pirates pick another California prep pitcher, add a pair of college hitters in draft
The Pittsburgh Pirates continued to stockpile starting pitching in the MLB Draft, selecting right-hander Angel Cervantes in the second round, but added a pair of college hitters to finish out the first day. A 6-foot-3, 195-pounder from Downey (Calif.) Warren High School, Cervantes is a UCLA commit who has a...
Pirates take top prep pitcher Seth Hernandez with No. 6 pick of 1st round in MLB Draft
The Pittsburgh Pirates have two of baseball’s top young starting pitchers in Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, but that didn’t stop them from selecting another right-hander from southern California in the first round of the MLB Draft. Seth Hernandez was considered the top right-handed pitching prospect in the draft, so...
Pirates ace Paul Skenes named All-Star starting pitcher for 2nd straight year
For the second consecutive year, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has been named the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound right-hander received official word Saturday in a phone call from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who asked for “one inning of domination.”...
Byron Buxton hits for cycle as Twins pound Pirates, who lose 8th consecutive game
In a game that had become a blowout, this was a day that belonged to Byron Buxton. The Minnesota Twins All-Star center fielder already had sandwiched two singles around a triple and a double when he came to bat with two outs in the seventh inning. When Buxton crushed Andrew...
Full Count: Despite uncertainty of MLB Draft, Pirates can’t afford to miss with No. 6 pick
The MLB Draft is deep in college pitching and prep shortstops, positions where the Pittsburgh Pirates hit home runs with their past two first-round picks in Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin. It’s no wonder Pirates general manager Ben Cherington has vowed to take the best player available with the No....
Bucs Beat Q&A: Scouting Pirates’ potential No. 1 pick with MLB Pipeline writer Jonathan Mayo
Pirates GM Ben Cherington said they plan to take the best player available, so why did you project them to pick Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette in the MLB.com mock draft? I do think that they tend to take who they think the best player is. It could very well...
Pirates’ Nick Gonzales answering questions with his bat since return from ankle injury
Nick Gonzales understands there’s a dichotomy in how he is perceived, so the Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman has learned to embrace his reputation as an undersized overachiever and a bonus baby who comes with the high expectations of a top-10 pick. Gonzales is defying the odds this season, returning from...
Randy Arozarena homer lifts Mariners to 3rd shutout of Pirates despite Paul Skenes’ 10Ks
The Pittsburgh Pirates went scoreless in Seattle. In a sobering series for a red-hot team coming off three consecutive shutouts of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pirates went ice cold and failed to score a run in three consecutive games against the Mariners. Mariners righty George Kirby matched Paul Skenes...
Paul Skenes becomes 1st Pirates pitcher to be selected to All-Star Game in 1st 2 seasons
Paul Skenes wasn’t “super surprised” to be selected to the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season, even if he became the first Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to be chosen in each of his first two seasons. “Pretty cool. I’m looking forward to it,” Skenes said Sunday on the SportsNet Pittsburgh...
Pirates CF Oneil Cruz makes perfectly placed throw clocked at 105.2 mph on play at plate
It’s almost impossible for the Pittsburgh Pirates to overshadow Paul Skenes when he’s pitching, but a throw by center fielder Oneil Cruz against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday earned a salute from Skenes. Cruz made a perfectly placed one-hop throw to get J.P. Crawford out at home plate that was...
Luis Castillo tosses 7 scoreless innings as Mariners hand Pirates 2nd consecutive shutout
The offense that propelled the Pittsburgh Pirates to score 47 runs in a six-game homestand has gone scoreless in Seattle. Mariners starter Luis Castillo recorded eight strikeouts in seven shutout innings, as the Pirates failed to advance a runner past first base for the first time in four seasons. Jorge...
Bucs Beat Q&A: 3rd base coach Mike Rabelo aggressive ‘trying to score runs for the Pirates’
How much has your role changed since Don Kelly became manager? It’s really not that much different. Prior to the series, I’ll go in and talk to Donnie about what the (opponent) will do, what they have done, what to be on the lookout for, what do you think about...
Full Count: Why does Paul Skenes want to chat with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal at All-Star Game?
Forgive Paul Skenes for being presumptive when he wasn’t worried about missing Aaron Judge in the opening homestand because he expected to face the New York Yankees slugger in the All-Star Game. The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander gave the same treatment toward missing a meeting with 2024 American League Cy Young...
Cal Raleigh goes deep twice as Mariners hit 4 homers to shut out Pirates, end winning streak
The Pittsburgh Pirates arrived in Seattle as the hottest team in baseball, riding a six-game winning streak that included three consecutive shutouts in a historic homestand. They ran into the game’s hottest home run hitter. Cal Raleigh crushed two homers to increase his major-league-leading total to a career-best 35, as...
Armed with belief, ‘electric’ fastball, Isaac Mattson making impact on Pirates bullpen
When the Pittsburgh Pirates talk about Isaac Mattson, the first thing they mention is his electric fastball. The 29-year-old right-handed reliever throws his four-seamer on 72.2% of his pitches, leaving batters befuddled as the ball disappears. Mitch Keller marveled over Mattson’s heater after he recorded three strikeouts — all swinging...
Pirates closer David Bednar named NL reliever of the month for June
David Bednar started April in the minor leagues. He ended June as the National League reliever of the month. The Pittsburgh Pirates closer earned the honors after recording five saves and not allowing an earned run in 10 appearances last month. Bednar had 16 strikeouts against three walks and gave...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Riding a 6-game winning streak, Pirates are reversing their curse
For the first two months of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates appeared to be cursed. Now they are the hottest team in baseball, riding a six-game winning streak and capping an historic homestand with three consecutive shutouts against the NL Central-rival St. Louis Cardinals. The Pirates outscored the New York...
Mitch Keller breaks PNC Park strikeouts record as Pirates shut out Cardinals to sweep series
When it comes to pitching at PNC Park, Mitch Keller now has more Ks than anyone in stadium history. Not only did the 29-year-old right-hander break the stadium’s strikeouts record, but Keller delivered his best performance of the season as the Pittsburgh Pirates capped an historic homestand with another sweep....
Pirates RHP Johan Oviedo makes ‘monumental accomplishment’ by starting rehab assignment
The Pittsburgh Pirates received encouraging news from one of the pitchers expected to be in their starting rotation when right-hander Johan Oviedo began a rehabilitation assignment. Given that Oviedo has missed 18 months since undergoing Tommy John surgery and his recovery endured a setback with a lat strain, Pirates senior...
Big defensive plays, sacrifice fly by Henry Davis help Pirates clip Cardinals
As Don Kelly was trying to explain an offensive outburst where the Pittsburgh Pirates scored 37 runs in four games, he couldn’t help but note how much fun it is to win one-run games. After four consecutive blowout victories, the Pirates were back to playing in a tight game Tuesday...
Pirates trade righty reliever Hunter Stratton to Braves for minor leaguer, cash considerations
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday for a minor-league outfielder and cash considerations. Stratton was designated for assignment Thursday, when the Pirates signed lefty reliever Genesis Cabrera. A 2017 16th-round draft pick, the 28-year-old Stratton was 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA and...
