Pirates/MLB category, Page 84
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates enter spring training with raised expectations, storylines
BRADENTON, Fla. — After starting the season with the best record in the National League through April and finishing the final two months with a winning record, the Pittsburgh Pirates will enter spring training with raised expectations. No longer are the Pirates talking about a rebuild but rather the chance...
Pitcher Wily Peralta among non-roster invitees headed to Pirates’ spring training
Veteran righty Wily Peralta will join the Pittsburgh Pirates for spring training as a non-roster invitee, the club announced Monday. Peralta, 34, has a record of 56-61 with a 4.29 ERA and 16 saves over 258 games in his major league career, spanning stints with the Brewers, Royals and Tigers...
Pirates by Position: Awaiting arrival of Paul Skenes, starting rotation full of questions
The Pittsburgh Pirates already planned to prioritize starting pitching before workhorse Johan Oviedo required Tommy John surgery, and Ben Cherington vowed to add to the rotation through free agency and trades. The Pirates general manager promised he had the resources needed this offseason “to get better and to compete and...
Pirates add experience at catcher, agree to 1-year deal with Yasmani GrandalVideo
With Endy Rodriguez out for the season and little experience at catcher, the Pittsburgh Pirates added veteran Yasmani Grandal. Grandal agreed to a one-year contract for $2.5 million plus performance incentives, a source confirmed to TribLive. The 35-year-old backstop, a two-time All-Star, spent the past four seasons with the Chicago...
Pirates by Position: Once a strength, Endy Rodriguez’s injury makes catcher a concern
When the 2023 season ended, general manager Ben Cherington called catcher a position that appeared to be a strength for the Pittsburgh Pirates, in terms of talent and depth. After a mid-July call-up, Endy Rodriguez showed off a strong arm and a positive personality in his rookie season. Jason Delay...
Analysis: Despite a disappointing offseason, the Pirates — fingers crossed — should be better
When the Pittsburgh Pirates completed a season that marked a 14-win jump, Ben Cherington acknowledged the importance of their improvement but stressed the need to keep getting better. The Pirates general manager knows a 76-win season and fourth-place finish in the National League Central isn’t satisfactory. “It starts with me...
Pirates by position: Spring training could see competition at center in a crowded outfield
The Pittsburgh Pirates are poised to begin spring training with six outfielders on their 40-man roster — along with several other possibilities — and two names already penciled into the starting lineup. Pirates manager Derek Shelton shared in late September that Jack Suwinski had joined 2021 All-Star Bryan Reynolds in...
Pirates announce spring training broadcast schedule for Grapefruit League games
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Thursday that SportsNet Pittsburgh will televise a dozen Grapefruit League home games, as well as their March 11 game against the Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers, Fla. The inaugural Spring Breakout game between prospects from the Pirates and Baltimore Orioles at 7 p.m. March 14...
Pirates by Position: Rowdy Tellez hoping to make ‘big impact’ in possible platoon at 1B
When the Pittsburgh Pirates were dissatisfied with their play at first base in 2022, they signed veteran Carlos Santana to a one-year contract worth $6.725 million to shore up the position last season. When the Milwaukee Brewers were dissatisfied with their play at first base last season, they traded for...
Mariners claim former Pirates OF Canaan Smith-Njigba off waivers
The Seattle Mariners claimed former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba off waivers Wednesday, reuniting him in the same city with his brother. Smith-Njigba, 24, started in right field for the Pirates on Opening Day in Cincinnati last season. The Pirates designated him for assignment Jan. 31 to make room on...
Pirates by Position: Starting job at second base could be biggest battle of spring training
Since Adam Frazier was traded amid an All-Star season in 2021, second base has been something of a misnomer for the Pittsburgh Pirates. It’s more like a short stop. The Pirates have tried 24 players at the position over the past two-plus years, and not one has started even half...
Pirates by Position: Can Oneil Cruz’s return spell the end of revolving door at shortstop?
When Derek Shelton was asked at PiratesFest whether Oneil Cruz would be eased back into the starting lineup or serve as the everyday shortstop, the Pittsburgh Pirates manager gave a roundabout response. Shelton shared that the daily highlight of his offseason came around 1 p.m., when he received an email...
Pirates by Position: Third base in good hands with Gold Glove winner Ke’Bryan Hayes
For as much as Derek Shelton values versatility, the Pittsburgh Pirates manager has made one thing abundantly clear: As long as Ke’Bryan Hayes is healthy, he will be starting at third base. It’s the one position on the field where the Pirates have few question marks. According to the analytics,...
‘We actually have a pretty good team’: Rowdy Tellez touts Pirates, new teammates
Rowdy Tellez already was familiar with most of the Pittsburgh Pirates roster, but the burly slugger is looking forward to meeting several of his new teammates, especially those who stand his size or taller. A 6-foot-4, 270-pound first baseman who signed a one-year contract with the Pirates last month, Tellez...
Pirates sign 7-time All-Star reliever Aroldis Chapman, DFA OF Canaan Smith-Njigba
Aroldis Chapman was willing to put the past behind him to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, even if it means that the seven-time All-Star reliever won’t be serving as their closer. Chapman signed a one-year contract worth $10.5 million with the Pirates on Wednesday that made the free agent their...
No. 1 pick Paul Skenes leads list of 13 prospects invited to Pirates big league camp
One of the biggest questions for the Pittsburgh Pirates is whether 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes will pitch in the major leagues this season The Pirates won’t have to wait until the summer to see him in black and gold. Skenes is one of five top-100 prospects among...
Lefty Anthony Solometo makes Top 100 debut as MLB Pipeline ranks 5 Pirates prospects
Left-handed pitcher Anthony Solometo made his Top 100 debut, as MLB Pipeline released its new Top 100 list Friday night that features five Pittsburgh Pirates prospects. Right-hander Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, is ranked No. 3 overall. Second baseman Termarr Johnson (No. 44), right-handed...
Analysis: Is Pirates’ signing of Aroldis Chapman a precursor to a trade?
The Pittsburgh Pirates stunned the baseball world, including their own fan base, by agreeing to a one-year, $10.5 million contract with left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman on Monday. The move can be viewed in multiple ways, the most optimistic being that the Pirates bolstered a bullpen that features two-time All-Star closer...
Congress considers commemorative coin honoring Roberto Clemente
Pittsburgh Pirates great Roberto Clemente may be honored on a commemorative coin if a measure currently before Congress is approved. U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-New York, joined local Reps. Chris Deluzio and Guy Reschenthaler in introducing legislation that would require the secretary of the treasury to mint commemorative coins honoring...
Source: Pirates sign 35-year-old reliever Aroldis Chapman
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a serious move to shore up their bullpen Monday when they agreed to terms on a one-year, $10.5 million contract with seven-time All-Star reliever Aroldis Chapman, a source confirmed to TribLive. The deal is pending a physical examination. Chapman, 35, would give the Pirates a left-handed...
Pirates announce several staff changes, name Robby Hammock new manager in Altoona
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced several minor-league staff changes Monday, including new managers for three of the four full-season affiliates. Only manager Miguel Perez at Triple-A Indianapolis remains in his 2023 role. Robby Hammock, who spent last season managing at High-A Greensboro, is the new manager at Double-A Altoona. Hammock will...
Pirates add 21 prospects from 7 countries in international signing period
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Friday they have signed 21 prospects from seven countries in the international signing period, including a pair of players ranked in the top 50. The list features nine players from Dominican Republic, five from Venezuela, three from Panama and one each from Australia, the Bahamas, Curacao...
Paul Skenes highest ranked of 4 Pirates in Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list
Baseball America rated right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes its No. 9 prospect, and the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick is one of four Pittsburgh Pirates in its updated top 100 prospect rankings. Right-handed pitchers Bubba Chandler (59) and Jared Jones (74) and second baseman Termarr Johnson (77) also are ranked...
Pirates’ Connor Joe looks to build on offensive numbers while remaining versatile defensively
When the Pittsburgh Pirates re-signed Connor Joe to a one-year deal Thursday, it was in recognition of both his offensive and defensive contributions over the course of 133 games played in 2023. The Pirates are now hopeful Joe can build upon both elements of his game. Joe, who will make...
Pirates sign a pair of top-32 prospects as international signing period opens
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed a pair of Dominican teenagers who are ranked in the top 32 international prospects by Baseball America and top 50 by MLB Pipeline when the MLB’s international signing period opened Monday. Brailyn Brazodan, an outfielder who turned 18 on Jan. 9, is the highest regarded prospect...
