Pirates/MLB category

If the Los Angeles Dodgers “ruined baseball” by winning the World Series, a heck of a lot of people witnessed them do it. Despite the alleged demise of the entire sport by way of L.A.’s appearance in — and eventually claiming of — the 2025 World Series, their Game 7...

Despite finishing with a .500 record, Paul Skenes is considered the consensus favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace is now one step closer to making history. Skenes was named a finalist for the NL Cy Young by the Baseball Writers Association of America...

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy were held over on the Hall of Fame’s contemporary baseball era committee ballot and will be joined next month by Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela. The 16-person committee meets on Dec. 7 at the...

In the wake of Los Angeles’ second straight World Series win, we’re being told the Dodgers “bought” victory. Well, of course they did. Their payroll was $350 million this season, $266 million in 2024. But Toronto tried its best to do the same. The Blue Jays paid their players $255...

When the Pirates visited the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 1 this past season, it was a memorable ballgame. The Pirates blew a six-run lead in the final two innings and lost 17-16 on a Brenton Doyle two-run walk-off homer. Pirates management must have remembered the game too. The winning pitcher...

Konnor Griffin developed into the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball and Bubba Chandler into the game’s top pitching prospect, so their status in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization was indisputable. The Pirates recognized Griffin with their Honus Wagner Player of the Year and Chandler with the Bob Friend Pitcher of...

Before Esmerlyn Valdez made noise in the Arizona Fall League by hitting eight home runs in his first nine games, he led all Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguers in homers this season. So it was befitting that the Pirates named the 21-year-old outfielder/first baseman who hit 26 home runs across two...

Where Konnor Griffin developed into baseball’s top prospect and the consensus minor league player of the year this season, another teenage Pittsburgh Pirates prospect made a powerful impression. Edward Florentino, an 18-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, dominated the Florida Complex League and earned a promotion to Low-A Bradenton to...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the most talented young pitching staffs in baseball, so they hired one of the game’s top young pitching coaches in Bill Murphy, a source confirmed to TribLive. The 35-year-old Murphy has been with the Houston Astros since 2016, serving as one of their major...

After having a Gold Glove winner in three of the past four seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates have a chance to produce multiple winners in the same season. Jared Triolo, a 2024 National League Gold Glove winner, was a repeat finalist as a utility fielder and Tommy Pham is a finalist...

The Pittsburgh Pirates added an outfielder who flashed some power in the minor leagues by claiming Will Robertson off waivers Monday from the Chicago White Sox. The 27-year-old made his major-league debut last season, batting .129 (9 for 70) with one double and nine RBIs with 27 strikeouts against two...

Friday’s “First Call” examines a potential tactical advantage for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense against Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Tyler Glasnow’s start may be forgotten given how that Dodgers-Phillies game ended Thursday night, but it sure was a good one. And a Penn State hockey player had a four-goal night —...

The Pittsburgh Pirates started the season with a proclamation. “It’s time to win,” Derek Shelton said in March. “That’s the only focus.” They opened PNC Park with a mandate. “We didn’t win enough,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting told TribLive on April 4, before the home opener. “We need to win...

Paul Skenes has been selected the Baseball Digest/Inside Edge MLB pitcher of the year by landslide voting, making him the first Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher to win the publication’s award. Skenes, who won Baseball Digest’s National League rookie of the year award last year, led the major leagues with a 1.97...

Theresa Kail-Smith is a member of City Council. She wants City Council to have a discussion with Bob Nutting re: what has to be done to make the Pirates a winning team? Kail-Smith isn’t a baseball person. But she couldn’t have a worse plan than Pirates GM Ben Cherington. This...

When assessing a Pittsburgh Pirates offense that ranked last in the major leagues in home runs, runs scored, RBIs, slugging percentage and OPS, general manager Ben Cherington didn’t mince words. “We’ve got to score more runs,” Cherington said. How the Pirates will do that will be the focus of their...

There is a widespread belief in baseball that every reliever wants to be the closer, and every closer wants to make a memorable entrance in the ninth inning and record the final three outs of the game. Dennis Santana is no different. “I always dreamed about that,” Santana said in...

Thursday’s “First Call” boasts some eye-popping ratings for Steelers-Vikings in Ireland. The Baltimore Ravens injury report is eye-catching as well. And in the Major League Baseball playoffs, one former Pirate nailed down a save for his team, while another is trying to extend his club’s season on Thursday. Early wake-up...

The Steelers are going into the bye weekend at 3-1 and in first place atop the AFC North. Nothing to complain about, right? Ha! That’s a good one! via GIPHY So long as Mike Tomlin is managing the clock and the Pirates are playing baseball, that’s never going to be...

Don Kelly repeatedly made the point that pitching was the foundation for the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Paul Skenes an overwhelming favorite to win the National League Cy Young and anchoring a staff that led MLB in shutouts and ranked in the top 10 in multiple categories. So, it came across...

A little after 7 p.m. I took a break from watching the Yankees-Red Sox playoff game between innings. I walked out on my back deck overlooking the North Side of Pittsburgh. The sunset was coloring the pastel skies over PNC Park, and I thought, “What a great night this would...

The Pittsburgh Pirates will not renew the contracts of pitching coach Oscar Marin and third base coach Mike Rabelo, according to a league source. In addition, assistant pitching coach Brent Strom is retiring. Additional support staff moves could be coming, according to a source. The coaching staff decisions come a...

Tuesday’s “First Call” has more information about Tyreek Hill’s gruesome injury on “Monday Night Football.” The Browns are dealing with wide receiver depth issues as well in advance of their game against the Steelers. The baseball playoffs are getting underway. And there is a quote from an MLB owner that...

After a season of moves that made little sense, it was only fitting that the Pittsburgh Pirates chose to extend the contract of manager Don Kelly on a day that three MLB teams terminated their skippers. That’s not to suggest that keeping Kelly as manager on a permanent basis isn’t...