Pirates/MLB category, Page 118

The Pittsburgh Pirates like the pitch repertoire right-hander Vince Velasquez offers but believe he needs to stay in the strike zone to be effective as a starting pitcher. Just not up in the zone. Velasquez surrendered a pair of solo home runs in his Pirates debut as the Cincinnati Reds...

The Pittsburgh Pirates don’t know the severity of JT Brubaker’s arm injury except that it’s serious enough to keep him out of the starting rotation for the next two months. The 29-year-old right-hander, who left spring training with right elbow/forearm discomfort, was moved from the 15-day injured list to the...

Rich Hill has stepped on and off too many pitching rubbers throughout his 19-season career to think about anything other than winning and losing. Sure, he recorded his 1,300th career strikeout Saturday (1,301 by the time he left Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati). Good for him, he retired 13...

Indianapolis (Triple-A, 0-2) was pummeled 11-2 by Omaha (Royals) Saturday afternoon. Starting pitcher Caleb Smith allowed eight runs, all earned, in 4 2/3 innings on eight hits with five strikeouts and three walks. He gave up two homers, including a grand slam by Jackson Reetz in the fifth inning. Carmen...

Asked if he could envision signing a player to a $100 million contract in the near future, Pirates chairman Bob Nutting told the Tribune-Review that it was “definitely inside the realm of possibility.” Nutting knew that it would be met with skepticism by a fan base that views him as...

The Pirates and outfielder Bryan Reynolds have reportedly agreed on money and term, namely an eight-year contract that would pay $106.75 million. Reynolds has dropped his demands by over $27 million. The sticking point: Reynolds wants an opt-out clause after the fourth year. The Pirates should give it to him....

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 0-1) gave up four runs in the ninth and lost its season opener to Omaha (Royals), 8-6. C Endy Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat of the season. DH Mark Mathias went 3 for 4 with a double. 2B Nick Gonzales went 2 for 5...

CINCINNATI — Rob Zastryzny wanted to absorb the atmosphere of his first Opening Day but was trying to keep his emotions in check after days of uncertainty if he even would make the Pittsburgh Pirates. A non-roster invitee to spring training, the 31-year-old left-hander’s status was the ultimate cliffhanger. Zastryzny...

CINCINNATI — The deadline for a deal passed without the Pittsburgh Pirates and Bryan Reynolds finalizing a contract extension, which the star outfielder wanted to complete by first pitch on Opening Day. MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post tweeted Thursday afternoon that “while there’s agreement on dollars”...

CINCINNATI — The first Opening Day for Oneil Cruz will go down as one to remember, as the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop started their scoring with a solo home run and ended it by driving in the winning run. The 6-foot-7 shortstop went 1 for 2 with two runs scored and...

CINCINNATI — Ji Hwan Bae was surprised to see his name in the Opening Day lineup at second base for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Canaan Smith-Njigba wasn’t surprised at all to be starting in right field. Derek Shelton had different reasons for starting a pair of rookies Thursday against the Cincinnati...

Pittsburgh Penguins fans have reached peak angst. Steelers fans are languishing. And Pirates fans are already ticked off — even though the season hasn’t even started yet. Here’s something else to get mad about. There will be no “U mad, bro?” next week as “Breakfast With Benz” is on vacation....

CINCINNATI — Ke’Bryan Hayes is hoping for an Opening Day that more closely resembles his first than his last, even though he has 70 million reasons to feel the opposite. If the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman prefers the two-run homer he hit as a rookie in the 2021 opener against...

CINCINNATI — Derek Shelton sat in the visiting dugout at Great American Ball Park on the eve of Opening Day, believing his fourth season managing the Pittsburgh Pirates finally will bring progress. If that’s received with a shrug, it’s because Shelton’s first three seasons have been a bit of a...

Even though the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rotation appeared set at the start of spring training and his bet to make the Opening Day roster was as a reliever, Johan Oviedo was absolutely positive that he wanted to be a starting pitcher. The 25-year-old right-hander worked in a relief role for the...

Canaan Smith-Njigba earned a spot on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Opening Day roster with a strong spring, then showed why with one swing when he hit a three-run, opposite-field home run for the lead in the sixth inning. The Minnesota Twins rallied late for a 7-5 win Tuesday afternoon in the...

Jason Delay won the three-man battle to be the backup catcher, and a pair of rookies — infielder Ji Hwan Bae and outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba — will join the Pittsburgh Pirates when they travel to Cincinnati for the season opener, a source confirmed Tuesday morning to the Tribune-Review. The Pirates...

Just when the starting rotation appeared to be set for the start of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates were dealt a major blow. Manager Derek Shelton said that right-hander JT Brubaker, who led the team in strikeouts last season, is likely to begin the season on the injured list with...

For all of the talk by the Pittsburgh Pirates about competition in spring training, only one position was truly up for grabs. That was at second base, with a handful of candidates for the starting job. Rodolfo Castro announced from the outset his intention to create separation from Ji Hwan...

The Pittsburgh Pirates cleared room for rookies Ji Hwan Bae and Canaan Smith-Njigba to possibly make the Opening Day roster with moves that should settle their utility positions. The Pirates optioned infielder/outfielder Mark Mathias, acquired from Texas on March 8, to Triple-A Indianapolis, and reassigned infielders Drew Maggi and Chris...

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Monday that they will wear their City Connect series uniforms for the first time when they play the San Diego Padres on June 27 at PNC Park. The Pirates are one of six major league teams participating in the Nike MLB City Connect program, created to...

The Pittsburgh Pirates made two roster moves Sunday, reassigning outfielder Miguel Andujar and left-handed reliever Angel Perdomo to their minor-league camp. Andujar signed a $1.525 million guaranteed contract last fall but likely will start the season with Triple-A Indianapolis. He was competing with Connor Joe and Canaan Smith-Njigba for the...

Connor Joe looked like a lock to make the Opening Day roster for the Pittsburgh Pirates before being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Braves. Joe, an outfielder/first baseman acquired last fall from Colorado, started in left field but left the game after...

From the outset of spring training, Mitch Keller made no secret of his goals for this season. The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander wanted to be the Opening Day starter and become the anchor for the starting rotation. Keller can check the first item off his bucket list when the Pirates play...