Pittsburgh Pirates / MLB category, Page 130
Ji Hwan Bae aiming to start at second base but Pirates rookie knows speed, versatility are key
When Ji Hwan Bae was promoted to the Pittsburgh Pirates in September, one reason he wasn’t overwhelmed by the jump to the major leagues was because of the familiar faces in the infield. Bae had played alongside Oneil Cruz and Rodolfo Castro at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis, and they...
Pirates option OF Cal Mitchell to Triple-A, reassign INF Nick Gonzales to minor league camp
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a pair of roster moves Sunday afternoon, optioning outfielder Cal Mitchell to Triple-A Indianapolis and reassigning infielder Nick Gonzales to minor league camp. Mitchell, 24, finished the season with the Pirates last year, slashing .226/.286/.349 with 11 doubles, five home runs and 17 RBIs in 69...
Vince Velasquez gets hit hard as Orioles pummel Pirates in shutout victory
Vince Velasquez signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for the opportunity to earn a spot in the starting rotation, but a pair of Baltimore Orioles former first-round picks spoiled his start with two-run homers. Adley Rutschman homered in the first inning and Heston Kjerstad in the second as the Orioles pounded...
Pirates reliever Duane Underwood Jr. proves in WBC that he could handle high-leverage role
Duane Underwood Jr. brought a five-pitch repertoire to the Pittsburgh Pirates bullpen, but the right-hander did so with a grudge. He remained a reliever who wanted to be a starter. It took some convincing last year, when Underwood lasted 10 pitches on Opening Day before a strained hamstring sent him...
Mitch Keller’s strong start leads Pirates to spring training win over Twins
Mitch Keller continues to show why the Pittsburgh Pirates named him their Opening Day starter. The right-hander had seven strikeouts and allowed three hits in 4 2/3 innings as the Pirates beat the Minnesota Twins, 7-4, on Saturday afternoon in a Grapefruit League game at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla....
Pirates prioritize playing time, experience as trio battles for backup catcher spot
After enduring a season in which the Pittsburgh Pirates used eight catchers, breaking the emergency glass for an ill-fated inning with a position player, Ben Cherington wasn’t about to allow their backstop to become a laughingstock again. The Pirates general manager looked smart after trading NL Gold Glove winner Jacob...
Ji-Man Choi hits 1st homer of spring training against former team as Pirates beat Rays
Ji-Man Choi promised to bring a lot of smiles to Pittsburgh Pirates fans this season, and he delivered one against his former team. Choi hit his first home run of spring training, a two-run shot in the first inning, to lead the Pirates to a 6-2 win over the Tampa...
Coming back from elbow injury, Pirates lefty Caleb Smith working to become a starter againVideo
As soon Caleb Smith got Willy Adames swinging at a slider and squatted on the mound, it was immediately obvious that something was seriously wrong with the left-handed pitcher. Smith walked off the field with the trainer in the eighth inning of the season finale. Doctors diagnosed a partial tear...
Miguel Andujar breaks up perfect game in 6th, Pirates pound 13 hits to rally past Yankees
For the first five innings, the Pittsburgh Pirates couldn’t get on base. After that, they couldn’t stop scoring. The Pirates overcame a five-run deficit to beat the New York Yankees, 9-6, on Thursday night in a Grapefruit League game at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The Yankees built a...
Ryan Vilade found friendly competition in Pirates outfield with teammate Canaan Smith-Njigba
Ryan Vilade was standing within earshot when Canaan Smith-Njigba was asked about his old teammate becoming his new teammate with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith-Njigba raised his voice, making sure Vilade heard every word. “That’s my brother for life. I love my man Ryan Vilade,” Smith-Njigba said, with a smile. “Ryan...
Blue Jays tag starter JT Brubaker for 4 runs to beat Pirates
The Toronto Blue Jays tagged starter JT Brubaker for four runs on four hits in a 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon in a Grapefruit League game before 6,905 at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla. Brubaker, who had six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings and leads the...
Mitch Keller to start Pirates’ Opening Day against Reds
When Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton brought Mitch Keller into his office, he casually asked the right-hander about his side session and how many pitches he threw. Then Shelton dropped a subtle surprise question. “How many do you think you’ll throw on the 30th?” Shelton asked. Keller paused and a...
Pirates agree to terms with 27 players, but Oneil Cruz’s contract renewed at MLB minimum
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they have agreed to 2023 contract terms with 27 players on their 40-man roster who are pre-arbitration eligible, with one notable exception: Oneil Cruz had his contract renewed. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that the 24-year-old shortstop will be paid the major league minimum of...
Jared Triolo has Gold Glove at 3rd base, but his path to Pirates might be at another position
Jared Triolo was hitless in his first 19 at-bats of spring training when he finally broke out of his funk Tuesday with a fly ball that was misplayed by Baltimore Orioles right fielder Dylan Beavers. After the eighth-inning double, Triolo came to bat in the bottom of the ninth with...
Pirates Roansy Contreras, Luis Ortiz fuel Dominicans in 1-hit shutout of Israel in WBC
A pair of Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitchers fueled the Dominican Republic to a one-hitter in a 10-0 mercy-rule win over Israel on Tuesday in the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami. Starter Roansy Contreras allowed one hit and recorded four strikeouts in throwing 28 of his 41 pitches...
Pirates send down 8, including Endy Rodriguez, Mike Burrows
The Pirates trimmed eight players from their spring training roster Tuesday, including top prospects Endy Rodriguez and Mike Burrows. Rodriguez, Burrows, relief pitcher Colin Selby, infielder Jared Triolo and outfielder Ryan Vilade were assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Righties Wei-Chieh Huang and Nate Webb and lefty Caleb Smith were sent to...
Split-squad Pirates battle back to tie Twins, lose to Orioles despite 9th inning rally
After a day off, the Pittsburgh Pirates used a split squad to play two games Tuesday afternoon. That meant splitting the coaching staff for the Grapefruit League games. Where manager Derek Shelton’s team took a 7-6 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., bench coach Don...
Now healthy, Colin Holderman wants to prove to Pirates that he belongs in back of bullpen
Now that he is healthy and has added to his arsenal, Colin Holderman wants to prove to the Pittsburgh Pirates that he belongs in the back end of the bullpen. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound right-hander, acquired from the New York Mets last July in the Daniel Vogelbach trade, has set his...
Pirates reliever Duane Underwood Jr. puts finishing touch on Puerto Rico’s perfect win
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed reliever Duane Underwood Jr. put the finishing touches on eight innings of perfection as Puerto Rico made history in the World Baseball Classic. Underwood retired all three batters he faced in the eighth inning as Puerto Rico didn’t allow a baserunner in 10-0 mercy-rule win over Israel...
Former Pirates closer convicted of sex assault loses appeal in Superior Court
The state Superior Court on Monday affirmed the conviction of former Pittsburgh Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez, who was found guilty nearly two years ago of sexually assaulting a minor. Vazquez, 31, is serving a 2- to 4-year prison term at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill after a jury...
Connor Joe shows defensive versatility, looks to find a role in return to Pirates
When the Pittsburgh Pirates traded for Connor Joe in December, it wasn’t lost on him that it provided a full-circle moment in a baseball career that required a circuitous route to the majors. It marked a return to the organization that drafted Joe 39th overall in the 2014 MLB Draft....
Pirates get homers from Bryan Reynolds, Jack Suwinski but Braves pound Pirates
Bryan Reynolds homered for the second consecutive game, and Jack Suwinski hit his first homer of spring training but the Atlanta Braves rallied with a five-run sixth inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Braves got took the lead on an Ehire Adrianza double and put the Pirates away with...
Reliving Mazeroski’s historic World Series homer perched atop the Cathedral of Learning
Woody Turner couldn’t concentrate. He was working on an assignment, perhaps for a Roman history class, but he’s not sure. What mattered on Oct. 13, 1960, was that the University of Pittsburgh senior chose to be in — of all places — the library on the fifth floor of a...
Pirates OF Canaan Smith-Njigba showed resolve in recovery, now wants to flash power
In his own words, Canaan Smith-Njigba was rolling. Then the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder took a tumble that abruptly ended his season. Smith-Njigba isn’t going to allow it to ruin his dream. The 23-year-old became the first Pirates player in nine years to record an extra-base hit in his first plate...
Pirates closer David Bednar shines as USA beats Great Britain in World Baseball Classic
Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star closer David Bednar put the finishing touches on Team USA’s opening game in the World Baseball Classic, and did so in emphatic fashion. Bednar struck out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth inning to seal a 6-2 win over Great Britain in Pool...
