Pittsburgh Pirates / MLB category
Bullpen lets up 8 runs, as Pirates drop series finale to Padres
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie sensation Konnor Griffin could hardly have asked for a better first week in the big leagues. Over the last five days, Griffin made his MLB debut, collected his first hit and RBI and inked a record contract extension to remain in Pittsburgh through 2035. But Wednesday, following...
Cup of Joe (Starkey): Bob Nutting deserves little praise for fulfilling basic job requirements
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 400 words or less The Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday made the Konnor Griffin signing official — nine years, $140 million with escalators that could take it to $150 million. It’s great news, but it’s certainly no reason to be heaping praise upon team owner...
‘Pumped to be a Pirate’: Konnor Griffin, 19, signs record 9-year, $140 million contractVideo
Amid negotiations for a record contract extension for a rookie, Konnor Griffin asked an innocent question of a Pittsburgh Pirates front office poised to make him the face of the franchise. How are his Pirates teammates going to feel about the organization making a nine-year, $140 million commitment to a...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington preaches patience with DH Marcell Ozuna, outfield defense
Runway was a word Ben Cherington had on repeat Tuesday afternoon, when the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager discussed everything from his designated hitter to the outfield defense to development. The Pirates are off to a 7-5 start but are still testing Cherington’s patience, as he refuses to pass judgment on...
On Sports: Flyers gain ground on Penguins; NCAA men’s basketball odds are out for 2027
The NHL’s Eastern Conference playoff race is shaping up for a photo finish after another exciting slate of games Tuesday night that included an overtime winner and two games that went to a shootout. Plus, a look at the 2027 NCAA men’s basketball betting odds, some Duquesne transfer portal news...
Paul Skenes, Konnor Griffin shine in 1st game together as Pirates pull away to beat Padres
Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin shared the field for the first time as Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night, and the 23-year-old right-hander and 19-year-old rookie shortstop flashed why they are billed as generational talents. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, Skenes flirted with a no-hitter for five-plus innings...
Despite scuffles at plate, Pirates GM says Konnor Griffin has ‘made the team better’
Ben Cherington knew there would be a transition period for Konnor Griffin to adjust to the major leagues, so the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager acknowledged he took a calculated risk by promoting baseball’s consensus top prospect to play in Friday’s home opener. After the 19-year-old shortstop pressed at the plate...
Pirates turn to converted 2nd basemen Gonzales and Yorke to play 3rd base
When the Pittsburgh Pirates promoted 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin to the major leagues, it appeared the left side of their infield would be settled with Jared Triolo shifting to third base. That proved short-lived, as Triolo injured the patellar tendon in his right knee in the home opener and will...
On Sports: How does this Pirates’ start stack up to past seasons?Video
The Pittsburgh Pirates are now 10 games into the 2026 season, so how does this 6-4 start rank among previous campaigns? After a slow night in the NHL, Tuesday’s slate heats up in the Eastern Conference, and the Penguins’ Rickard Rakell shines bright. Plus, the Ravens start offseason activities and...
Pirates strand 10 runners as Padres win by shutout to snap 5-game winning streak
Bubba Chandler topped triple digits 13 times with his four-seam fastball against San Diego, but the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander couldn’t hide his contempt for his inability to stay in the strike zone. A day after three pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts without a walk against the Baltimore Orioles, Chandler...
How the Pirates’ Oneil Cruz is turning his kryptonite into his superpower
Baltimore Orioles left-hander Cade Povich got Oneil Cruz swinging for strikes at four-seam fastballs on his first two pitches, one over the middle of the plate and the other on the outside. When Povich sent another heater in the strike zone low and inside, Cruz punished the pitch by driving...
Pirates farm report for April 5, 2026: Jhostynxon Garcia’s 3 hits help Indy to victory
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 2-7) earned a 7-2 victory over Columbus (Guardians). CF Jhostynxon Garcia (.125) had three hits, including a double, and two RBIs. DH Esmerlyn Valdez () extended his on-base streak to nine games and went 1 for 4 with a walk and an RBI. LF Tyler Callihan (.310)...
Ryan O’Hearn homer highlights 4-RBI day as Pirates beat Baltimore to sweep 3-game series
What the Pittsburgh Pirates lacked more than pop in the middle of the lineup last season was the synergy to support a strong starting pitching performance. Braxton Ashcraft got both as he recorded a career-best eight strikeouts without a walk in six innings for a quality start against the Baltimore...
Pirates place infielder Jared Triolo (knee) on 10-day IL, recall outfielder Billy Cook
Just as the Pittsburgh Pirates were figuring out the left side of their infield, a knee injury has sidelined Jared Triolo and caused them to create a platoon at third base. The Pirates placed Triolo, a 2024 National League Gold Glove winner as a utility fielder and 2025 finalist, on...
‘I deserve to be booed’: DH Marcell Ozuna tries to snap out of funk, win over Pirates fans
When Marcell Ozuna came to bat, he was met with a chorus of boos from Pittsburgh Pirates fans at PNC Park. It was only his second home game, but Ozuna understands why they are voicing their displeasure. Ozuna was one of the Pirates’ big-ticket free agents — signing for $12...
Pirates farm report for April 4, 2026: Henry Blanco Jr. homers in Greensboro win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 1-7) lost 7-5 to Columbus (Guardians) in a game shortened to seven innings by rain. LF Billy Cook (.333) went 3 for 4 with a homer and two runs scored. RF Esmerlyn Valdez (.280) went 2 for 4 with a double. 3B Davis Wendzel (.308) went 1...
Nick Yorke walks it off for Pirates, who top Orioles to win series, 4th straight game
Staying ready for when your number is called is a bit of coach-speak that transcends sports. In the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 3-2 walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday at PNC Park, multiple players proved they were primed for the moment. Nick Yorke, originally entering the game as a pinch-runner,...
Cup of Joe: Penguins, Pirates stealing spotlight from Steelers ahead of NFL Draft
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 400 words or less The NFL Draft is days away, and the Steelers are suddenly the third-biggest sports story in town. The Penguins and Pirates have stolen the spotlight. It might be different if the Steelers had a top-10 pick or were weighing...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Bucco Fever is boiling again, and it’s an odd disease
It was a great day at the ballpark for the Pirates’ home opener Friday. I didn’t go. I’m getting prepared for that area being under martial law — worse yet, Roger Goodell’s iron fist — when the NFL Draft comes April 23-25. I can’t wait to stay away. Or till...
Pirates farm report for April 3, 2026: Alika Williams delivers 4 hits, game-winning RBI in Indy’s 1st victory
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 1-6) rallied from a 9-2 deficit with an eight-run seventh inning to beat Columbus (Guardians), 11-10, for its first victory of the season. SS Alika Williams (.667) went 4 for 5 with the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the ninth and a pair of doubles. LF...
Konnor Griffin creates cheers, savors silence in dazzling debut for Pirates in home opener
The electric environment for the home opener was interrupted Friday afternoon when Konnor Griffin stepped into the batter’s box for his first plate appearance with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The announcement that No. 6 was now batting brought a clamoring of cheers from the sellout crowd of 38,986 at PNC Park,...
Konnor Griffin hits RBI double in 1st MLB at-bat, helping Pirates top Orioles in home opener
Despite already possessing a reputation for maturity and calmness, Konnor Griffin must have felt an indescribable amount of pressure on his shoulders Friday. Griffin, 19, who’s ranked as the top overall prospect in baseball, made his MLB debut at PNC Park when the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the Baltimore Orioles for...
‘Hoist the cone’: Players, fans embrace Pirates’ viral dugout celebrationsVideo
When diehard Pirates fan Ricky Duncan saw the Pirates “hoist the cone” meme going viral, he knew he had to show up and show out for the Bucs’ home opener Friday. Duncan spent Friday afternoon tailgating and walking throughout PNC Park with a felt traffic cone on his head. “I...
Tim Benz: Now that Konnor Griffin is up, tomorrow needs to be todayVideo
In the 34 years since the Pittsburgh Pirates were eliminated from the 1992 National League Championship Series, the list of things that this franchise does better than other MLB clubs is very short. In fact, the list might simply be one entry: selling the future. Whatever semblance of a fan...
Bob Nutting 1-on-1: After pumping up payroll, Pirates owner says ‘today really feels different’
Bob Nutting had every reason to smile before the Pittsburgh Pirates played their home opener Friday as PNC Park was abuzz with anticipation for the major-league debut of Konnor Griffin. The energy inside the ballpark was decidedly different because the Pirates pumped up their Opening Day payroll north of $100...
