Pittsburgh Pirates / MLB category
Joe Starkey: Carmen Mlodzinski has earned Pirates rotation spot, but here’s the dilemma
Jared Jones is nearly ready to return. Be sure that when he does, it will be in the Pirates’ rotation rather than the bullpen. Jones is coming off a serious arm injury. The Pirates can better manage his innings, recovery time, etc., if he is in the rotation. That is...
Pirates solved a lot of pesky problems in Wednesday’s much-needed win in St. Louis
Much of what has been going wrong lately for the Pittsburgh Pirates suddenly — and collectively — went right on Wednesday night. And it came at the absolute right time. After losing four straight games, on the verge of giving the Cardinals the first two contests of a three-game series...
First Call: Bonus money for Aaron Rodgers revealed; Mars’ JJ Wetherholt shines vs. Pirates
Thursday’s “First Call” features details about Aaron Rodgers’ new contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Pirates are getting worn out by a Pittsburgh native during their series with St. Louis. A former Pirates relief pitcher has found new life in Cleveland, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have a chance to advance...
Spencer Horwitz emerging as 1 of Pirates’ most complete hittersVideo
Few players in the National League are figuring out a way to get on base more frequently than Spencer Horwitz. Following the Pittsburgh Pirates’ shutout of the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, Horwitz’s on-base percentage of .381 ranked 10th in the NL and 22nd in baseball. Horwitz also went yard...
Carmen Mlodzinski, bullpen sharp as Pirates shut out Cardinals
Given the competitiveness of the NL Central, the Pittsburgh Pirates cannot afford to be mired in elongated losing streaks if they wish to keep pace. But the club had dropped four straight heading into Wednesday’s contest versus the St. Louis Cardinals. In Game 2 of 3 at Busch Stadium, Carmen...
Pirates farm report for May 20, 2026: Esmerlyn Valdez homers in both halves of an Indy doubleheader
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 19-28) split a doubleheader with Toledo (Tigers). In the first game, a 3-2 Toledo win in eight innings, RF Esmerlyn Valdez went 1 for 3 with his ninth homer. CF Dominic Fletcher (.435) went 2 for 3 with a double and run scored. 2B Termarr Johnson (.163)...
In bullpen shakeup, Pirates recall Wilber Dotel from Triple-A, option Isaac Mattson
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ extra-inning loss Tuesday night at St. Louis, in which the club’s relievers surrendered three home runs to the Cardinals, was the latest installment of persistent bullpen woes. Ahead of Game 2 on Wednesday at Busch Stadium, the Pirates recalled right-hander Wilber Dotel from Triple-A Indianapolis while optioning...
First Call: New Steelers WR recruits JuJu Smith-Schuster via social media; Gerrit Cole’s return set for YankeesVideo
Could JuJu Smith-Schuster have another tour in Pittsburgh? At least one current Steeler is nudging to make that happen. The Pirates are trying to stop the bleeding in St. Louis. Mason Miller had a rare rough night for the San Diego Padres, and Gerrit Cole is coming back for the...
‘He can hit’: Top-5 prospect Jhostynxon Garcia makes Pirates debutVideo
The Pittsburgh Pirates are nowhere close to being able to truly assess what they have in Jhostynxon Garcia. Garcia, 23, was acquired from the Boston Red Sox last December in exchange for right-hander Johan Oviedo. In 2025, showcasing power-hitting abilities in the minor leagues, he had risen to Boston’s No....
Pirates force extra innings with rally, but Cardinals walk it off with 3-run homer in 10th
Paul Skenes and manager Don Kelly were optimistic after the Pittsburgh Pirates’ weekend sweep to the Phillies. Kelly said the Pirates had responded to adversity before, while Skenes insisted he wasn’t worried with the club’s ability to respond following several frustrating losses in a row, including back-to-back shutouts Saturday and...
Pirates farm report for May 19, 2026: Murf Gray homers in Greensboro debut
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 18-27) and Toledo (Tigers) were rained out. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Wednesday. Next: Wednesday at Toledo (Tigers), doubleheader, 11:05 a.m. ALTOONA (Double-A, 16-24) doubled up Erie (Tigers), 4-2. RHP Matt Ager (2-0, 2.00) started and went five innings, allowing two...
Pirates call up No. 4 prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to replace injured Ryan O’Hearn
“The Password” got the MLB call. The Pittsburgh Pirates recalled 23-year-old outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia on Tuesday ahead of their series opener at the St. Louis Cardinals. Garcia, the Pirates’ No. 4 overall prospect who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for pitcher Johan Oviedo last December, started...
Unique delivery makes Pirates’ Evan Sisk a tough pitcher to square upVideo
Evan Sisk’s fastball and sinker, both of which average around 91 mph, aren’t blowing away opposing batters. When the Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever brings the heat, he does so well below league average, which, per Statcast, is around 93 mph for both pitches. But despite not possessing overwhelming speed, Sisk...
Take 5: How Pirates bounce back from gut punch by Phillies could be a defining moment
The Pittsburgh Pirates were dealt what could be best described as a devastating knockout by the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, though their preferred phrase was to call it a gut punch. Which was worse: blowing 6-0 and 8-3 leads in an extra-inning loss Friday night or suffering back-to-back shutouts...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Pirates got a look at NL elite — and they’re not it
Well, that was eye-opening. I don’t care what the full-season stats show in comparing the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies. They’re irrelevant. The Phillies have heated up like the Pittsburgh spring since their managerial change. They totally outclassed the Pirates over the past three days, sweeping them by a combined...
Pirates farm report for May 17, 2026: Jared Jones gives up 2 runs, fans 7 in rehab start with Curve
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 19-26) split a doubleheader with Louisville (Reds). In the first game, a 10-7 Indianapolis win, C Rafael Flores Jr. (.216) went 1 for 4 with a two-run homer, his fourth. CF Dominic Fletcher (.400) went 4 for 4 with a triple, his second homer, two runs scored...
Pirates option IF/OF Nick Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis, opening roster spot for road trip
The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis following Sunday’s 6-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, creating a roster opening for their six-game road trip. A corresponding move will be announced before Tuesday’s game at the St. Louis Cardinals. Yorke, 24, is batting .197/.279/.276 with three doubles, one...
Paul Skenes roughed up, Zack Wheeler dominant as Phillies sweep Pirates
Paul Skenes stood between the Pittsburgh Pirates and a sweep by the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday at PNC Park. With Skenes coming off two straight stellar eight-inning outings, manager Don Kelly must have liked his club’s chances to stop the bleeding in the aftermath of Friday’s late-game collapse and Saturday’s...
Pirates place OF/1B Ryan O’Hearn on 10-day injured list, activate OF Jake Mangum
In advance of their series finale against Philadelphia on Sunday at PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates placed outfielder/first baseman Ryan O’Hearn on the injured list because of a right quad strain. The Pirates also activated outfielder Jake Mangum from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. O’Hearn started Saturday’s eventual 6-0...
Pirates farm report for May 16, 2026: Murf Gray belts 8th homer in Bradenton win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 18-25) and Louisville (Reds) were rained out. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Sunday. Next: Sunday at Louisville (Reds), doubleheader, 12:05 p.m. ALTOONA (Double-A, 15-23) walked off Harrisburg (Nationals), 6-5. RF Ivan Brethowr (.364) went 2 for 4 with a double and...
Phillies pound Bubba Chandler, as Cristopher Sanchez strikes out 13 in shutout of Pirates
Despite a tear in which Kyle Schwarber had homered nine times in eight games, Don Kelly debated the difficulty of pitching around the Philadelphia Phillies slugger because of the batter behind him. The Pittsburgh Pirates knew that even by walking MLB’s home runs leader, there was no avoiding Bryce Harper....
Pirates trade SS Alika Williams to Athletics for RHP Kyle Robinson in minor league move
With Jacob Wilson on the injured list with a dislocated left shoulder and sublaxation, the Athletics were search of a shortstop. The Pittsburgh Pirates had one in the minors with major-league experience, making them perfect partners for a swap. The Pirates traded defense-first middle infielder Alika Williams to the A’s...
Joe Starkey: The Pirates bullpen is in shambles. It’s time for Ben Cherington to fix it
Ben Cherington did a marvelous job fixing the Pittsburgh Pirates lineup this season. Now it’s time to fix the bullpen. I sort of defended the Pirates bullpen recently. There is no defending it now, in the wake of the towering inferno that was the 11-9 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies...
Pirates farm report for May 15, 2026: Seth Hernandez throws 5 no-hit innings in Greensboro debut
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 18-25) thumped Louisville (Reds), 11-5. DH Esmerlyn Valdez (.248) went 3 for 5 with two homers, his sixth and seventh. SS Davis Wendzel (.254) went 3 for 4 with a double, triple and three-run homer, his seventh. He finished with five RBIs. 1B Nick Cimillo (.217) went...
Pirates’ bullpen blows 5-run lead as Phillies rally for extra-inning win to open series
The Pittsburgh Pirates had celebrated too early, first when reliever Yohan Ramirez used an upside-down orange traffic cone to catch a Marcell Ozuna home run in the bullpen and then after two blasts by Brandon Lowe to build a comfortable cushion over the Philadelphia Phillies. Kyle Schwarber was ready to...
