Pirates/MLB category, Page 187
Colin Moran misses 3rd straight start; Pirates get good news-bad news on injured pitchers
Colin Moran remains day to day with lower back tightness, but Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said he’s “confident we can avoid” having to place the first baseman on the 10-day injured list. “We’ll get him out in the cage here in a little bit, see where he’s at, how...
First Call: Mike Tomlin avoids Steelers minicamp health questions; Tyler Glasnow blames MLB pitch-grip policy for injury
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is playing coy about some injury questions at minicamp. Tyler Glasnow went off about his injury and a possible connection to pitch-grip regulations. Marc-Andre Fleury is the new Conn Smythe favorite. And former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue still has concerns about gambling. All that...
Pirates farm report for June 15, 2021: Indianapolis pitchers combine for 3-hitter
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 19-17) rolled past Memphis (Cardinals), 6-1. Five Indians pitchers combined for a three-hitter. RHP Steven Wright (3-2, 4.57) allowed one run on two hits with six strikeouts in five innings to earn the win. LF Jared Oliva (.250) was 2 for 4 with a walk in his second...
Nationals dominate early, stretch Pirates’ losing streak to 9
For those wondering if the Pittsburgh Pirates finally were destined to end their losing streak, the question was answered early. On their way to an 8-1 victory Tuesday night at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., the Washington Nationals scored five runs in the first inning, and the Pirates (23-43) never...
Pirates pitcher Tyler Anderson says changes to baseball may have caused pitchers ‘to cross the line’
With MLB cracking down on the use of illegal substances on baseballs, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tyler Anderson said Tuesday night that repeated changes to the balls might have caused some pitchers to cross “the line” to counteract “balls that fly.” “When your pitches aren’t doing something the same, I think...
Get a covid-19 shot, score 2 free tickets to Pirates game
The Pittsburgh Pirates, who have helped facilitate the covid-19 vaccination of more than 16,000 people, are now offering free tickets as an incentive to those who are still unvaccinated. The Pirates will serve as hosts Saturday at PNC Park to Major League Baseball’s “MLB Vaccinate at the Plate” campaign that...
Tim Benz: Adam Frazier’s unique skill set leads to a remarkable start in 2021
Monday night’s 3-2 Pittsburgh Pirates loss to the Washington Nationals was rare. Not because the Pirates lost. We’re all used to that. It was rare because it didn’t feature a hit from Adam Frazier. It was just the second time in his last 16 games that the Pirates second baseman...
Pirates’ losing streak reaches eight in a row
Derek Shelton was happy with starting pitcher J.T. Brubaker’s five innings, even if they constituted barely more than half the game, even though they couldn’t prevent the Pittsburgh Pirates (23-42) from losing their eighth in a row. “As long as our starters are efficient, I’m happy with their outings,” the...
After trade from Pirates, Josh Bell turns the page, hopes for better end to story
Josh Bell wasn’t sure what might happen after the Pittsburgh Pirates’ dismal 2020 season. A different front office than the one that drafted, signed and made him a rich man was in charge now. No one was safe. During the offseason, he exchanged several text messages with teammate Jameson Taillon,...
Adam Frazier’s mastery of strike zone lifts him to second in All-Star voting
Adam Frazier is making a push to win a starting job in the All-Star Game on July 13 at Coors Field in Denver. He is second among National League second basemen in the voting and third in the league overall with a .336 batting average after 64 games. During the...
Pirates have fingers crossed that patchwork pitching staff can fill spots in starting rotation
Their Steve Blass Award winner remains in Bradenton, the veteran they signed to eat innings is on the 10-day injured list for the second stint and their future staff ace has been demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis. The starting rotation for the Pittsburgh Pirates is about as patchwork as a pitching...
Pirates farm report for June 12, 2021: Curve’s Jeff Passantino shuts down Akron
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 18-17) defeated Nashville (Brewers), 7-4. CF Anthony Alford (.272) was 2 for 4 and hit his fifth home run of the season. 3B Hunter Owen (.188) also went 2 for 4 with a homer, and RF Troy Stokes Jr. (.211) added a home run. RHP James Marvel (2-1,...
Pirates notebook: Keeping mum on No. 1 pick; Colin Moran leaves game with lower back injury
The Pittsburgh Pirates have the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft on July 11, but are keeping their choice a secret. While filling in for Pirates general manager Ben Cherington on his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan on Sunday afternoon, assistant general manager Steve Sanders wouldn’t...
Pirates waste Wil Crowe’s strong start, get swept by Brewers for 7th straight loss
Wil Crowe was cruising through the Milwaukee Brewers lineup, retiring 15 consecutive batters in the first five innings when the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander took the mound for the sixth. Tim Lopes fouled off five pitches before drawing a 10-pitch walk, putting the tying run on base for the Brewers. That’s...
Pirates farm report for June 12, 2021: Oneil Cruz homers again as Altoona splits DH
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 17-17) rolled to an 8-1 win over Nashville (Brewers). SS Cole Tucker (.239) was 3 for 3 with a home run and three RBIs. RF Troy Stokes Jr. (.208) was 1 for 4 with a walk and two RBIs. 3B Hunter Owen (.171) also knocked in two runs....
Pirates blow four-run lead, as Brewers take advantage of Chad Kuhl’s control issues
On the day the Pittsburgh Pirates sent a starting pitcher to the minors to work on his command, Chad Kuhl had control issues of his own. For this, he blamed the baseballs. Kuhl walked four batters and hit another to allow the Milwaukee Brewers to rally from a four-run deficit...
Pirates option struggling pitcher Mitch Keller to Triple-A
When Mitch Keller struggled with everything from fastball command to visible frustration on the mound, the Pittsburgh Pirates reached a point where they decided he needed a break from facing major league hitters. Pirates manager Derek Shelton announced Saturday that Keller was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis, a stunning demotion for...
Pirates farm report for June 11, 2021: Oneil Cruz hits 7th homer in Altoona loss
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-17) was held to three hits and was blown out, 14-1, by Nashville (Brewers). LF Anthony Alford went 1 for 3 to up his average to .260. 3B Hunter Owen singled and scored a run. RHP Cody Ponce started and was touched up for five runs, all earned,...
Trio of bases-loaded walks does in Pirates in road loss to Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates starter Chase De Jong termed his four walks in five innings Friday as “definitely more than you’d ever want.” Imagine what he thought when Clay Holmes matched that — in only a third of an inning. The normally reliable Pirates bullpen imploded during a six-walk seventh inning in...
Pirates notes: Colin Moran returns to action, expected back in lineup soon
Two days after he had to leave game after being hit by a pitch on his right hand, Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Colin Moran returned to game action Friday. Though Moran was not in the lineup for the night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Pirates manager Derek Shelton called on...
Pirates unmasked in dugout, bullpen after team reaches 85% vaccination threshold
With an outgoing personality leading a team short on proven star players, Derek Shelton, in part, was hired to serve as the public face of the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Friday, more than 18 months after he was named manager, Shelton’s face was finally on display during a game. At last,...
Despite sweep by Dodgers, Pirates insist they have ‘good momentum’ heading into tough June stretch
Because the Pirates are, well, the Pirates, any analysis has to be done through the prism of what they are versus what they are not. What they are not is a Major League team with any goal of challenging for a playoff spot in 2021. What they are is a...
Healthy Phillip Evans ready to bounce around the field to play multiple positions for Pirates
Upon returning to the Pittsburgh Pirates active roster after a stint on the injured list, Phillip Evans wore a smile almost as big as the new sunglasses that became a necessary accessory. Evans learned the hard way how to dress to play the outfield after losing a Luis Arraez routine...
Pirates farm report for June 10, 2021: Aaron Shackelford drives in 5 for Greensboro
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-16) fell 6-3 to Nashville (Brewers). The Sounds scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh off relievers Austin Davis and Tyler Bashlor. Beau Sulser started and pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks. LF Anthony Alford and 1B...
Pirates’ Mitch Keller shows frustration as command issues continue against Dodgers
After another start in which he struggled with fastball command, Mitch Keller was in no mood to make excuses just because the Pittsburgh Pirates were playing the reigning World Series champions. The right-hander’s frustration level with the recurring theme of his season was palpable following a 6-3 rain-shortened loss to...
