Pirates/MLB category, Page 142
First Call: Checking the Jose Quintana trade watch; former Pirates pitchers shine; ex-Penguin gets an honor
An ex-Pittsburgh Penguin is getting a special night. A bunch of ex-Pirates stepped up on the mound Thursday. And Jose Quintana may be an ex-Pirate soon. All of that in Friday’s “First Call.” Marleau’s moment An ex-Penguin is getting quite an honor. Patrick Marleau’s No. 12 will be retired by...
Super-utility man Josh VanMeter ready, willing to play every position for Pirates this season
Josh VanMeter’s dream would be to report to the ballpark knowing which position he will play before the lineup is even posted, but he has adjusted to life as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ superutility player. VanMeter has stretched the definition of his job description by playing five positions this season. That...
Pirates farm report for July 28, 2022: Travis Swaggerty doubles, triples, makes error in Indy loss
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 44-49) was edged out by Toledo (Tigers), 7-6. LF Travis Swaggerty (.256) went 2 for 4 with a double, triple and three RBIs. SS Rodolfo Castro (.237) was 2 for 5 with a double. DH Mason Martin (.197) went 1 for 4 with a double and drove in...
Pirates 1st-round draft pick Termarr Johnson, spotted at PNC Park, appears close to signing
Termarr Johnson was spotted walking through the tunnel underneath PNC Park late Thursday night, a sign that the Pittsburgh Pirates could be close to signing their first-round draft pick. Johnson, 18, a middle infielder from Atlanta Mays High School who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 MLB...
Pirates’ 5-run rally in 9th inning not enough in loss to Phillies
On the 21st anniversary of one of the most improbable comebacks in PNC Park history, the Pittsburgh Pirates trailed the Philadelphia Phillies by the same score going into the bottom of the ninth as they did the Houston Astros so many moons ago. This time, there would be no game-winning...
Bligh Madris returns to Pirates, adding a new position to improve his chances of staying
Bligh Madris hadn’t played first base since his sophomore year at Colorado Mesa University, but he was open to the idea when the Pittsburgh Pirates suggested adding another position in spring training. After being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis when the major league outfield became too crowded earlier this month, Madris...
Pirates reliever Blake Cederlind to visit doctor who performed surgery on right elbow
Blake Cederlind is scheduled to see the doctor who performed Tommy John surgery on the Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed reliever to check on the recurrent pain in his right elbow. Asked if Cederlind’s visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache – who performed surgery on retired Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s right elbow in...
Pirates place CF Bryan Reynolds on paternity leave, recall OF Bligh Madris
Bryan Reynolds is out, with a new baby. Bligh Madris is back, possibly at a new position. The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Reynolds on the paternity leave list Thursday after his wife Blair gave birth to a baby boy Wednesday morning. The team recalled Madris from Triple-A Indianapolis. Reynolds, the Pirates...
Pirates sign 15th-round pick Josiah Sightler
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed 15th-round draft pick Josiah Sightler, a first baseman from South Carolina, leaving only four players unsigned out of their 21 selections. MLB Pipeline senior writer Jim Callis reported that Sightler signed for a $125,000 bonus. 15th-rder Josiah Sightler signs with @Pirates for $125k. @GamecockBasebll 1B,...
Pirates farm report for July 27, 2022: Jacob Gonzalez homers, collects 4 hits for Greensboro
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 44-48) lost 3-0 to Toledo (Tigers) despite having a 9-3 advantage in hits. RHP Cody Bolton (2-2, 2.96) started and went two innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits and two walks. RHP Noe Toribio (3.71) pitched three perfect innings of relief. SS Tucupita Marcano (.325)...
Pirates sign pair of draft picks, including 4th-round selection Michael Kennedy
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed two more draft picks Wednesday, a pair of left-handed pitchers, and paid above slot value to convince one to bypass college. Michael Kennedy, a fourth-rounder from Troy (N.Y.) High School, was signed to a $1 million bonus by scout Eddie Charles. Slot value for the 110th...
On-the-job training helps Pirates’ Oneil Cruz learn what it takes to play in the majors
The throws from shortstop don’t always land cleanly in the first baseman’s glove. And he still has a lot to learn about hitting against left-handed pitchers. But what better place for Oneil Cruz to discover what it takes to play big-league ball than the big leagues? Cruz showed why he’s...
First Call: New jobs for a Steelers great on the sideline and booth; slight health setback for Joe Burrow
Wednesday’s “First Call” features two new jobs for a Pittsburgh Steelers legend. A Cincinnati Bengals star has hit a health snag. A big-name college football coach with Pittsburgh ties is less than happy with his sport. And Jack Suwinski had a highlight in Indianapolis. Broadcasting the Birds In Pittsburgh, we...
Pirates farm report for July 26, 2022: Jack Suwinski belts grand slam in Indy win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 44-47) got past Toledo (Tigers), 5-4. CF Jack Suwinski (.190) went 1 for 4 with a first-inning grand slam, his third Triple-A homer of the year. RHP Roansy Contreras (2.82) started and went two innings, allowing one hit, a solo home run, and striking out two. LHP Cam...
Pirates sign 4 more draft choices; 14 under contract
The Pirates signed four more 2022 draft choices Tuesday, bringing the total to 14 players under contract from general manager Ben Cherington’s 21-man class. They are outfielder Tanner Tredaway (10th round), catcher Nick Cimillo (16th round) and pitchers Jaycob Deese and Elijah Birdsong (17th and 18th rounds). • Tredaway hit...
Oneil Cruz’s 416-foot home run not enough in Pirates’ 4-2 loss to Cubs
The ERAs are falling. Oneil Cruz is hitting home runs. Bryan Reynolds is back. And Ke’Bryan Hayes has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games Why, then, have the Pirates (40-58) lost four of five games since the All-Star break and eight of their past 10, including a 4-2 defeat...
JT Brubaker turns in solid performance, but Pirates fall to Cubs
JT Brubaker did his part Monday night at Wrigley Field when the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bats failed again and one ill-timed error led to the Chicago Cubs’ 3-2 victory. The Pirates’ starting pitcher worked through some early problems with his slider, didn’t allow hard contact by Cubs batters to deter him...
Bryan Reynolds returns from injured list, bats second against Cubs on Monday night
Two hours before the start of a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates received a significant boost to their lineup when Bryan Reynolds was activated from the injured list and inserted into center field. He will bat second in the order against the Cubs...
Pirates catcher Jason Delay takes advantage of opportunity with offensive production
When Jason Delay connected on Braxton Garrett’s 2-2 slider, he didn’t know if would have the distance to clear the fence in the left-field corner at PNC Park, so the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher gave the ball some encouragement. “I was hustling out of the box, and I was kind of...
Pirates farm report for July 24, 2022: Tucupita Marcano’s blast helps Indy top St. Paul
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 43-47) won 5-3 over St. Paul (Twins). 3B Tucupita Marcano (.313) was 3 for 4, including a two-run home run. LF Travis Swaggerty (.256) hit his sixth triple of the season and tallied his 38th RBI. DH Mason Martin (.192) knocked in his 51st run of the season....
‘It’s been long enough’: Pirates CF Bryan Reynolds ready to return from injured list
After missing 10 games with a right oblique strain, center fielder Bryan Reynolds expects to return to the Pittsburgh Pirates for their two-game series at the Chicago Cubs. “Nobody wants to not play, so I’m ready to get out there,” Reynolds said Sunday at PNC Park following a 6-5 loss...
Marlins hold off Pirates rally in 10th inning to escape with a win
After committing a costly error that allowed the Miami Marlins to take the lead in the top of the 10th inning, Cal Mitchell came to bat with an opportunity to make amends. The Pittsburgh Pirates had runners on first and third with two outs when the rookie right fielder singled...
Pirates farm report for July 23, 2022: Mason Martin’s walk-off single lifts Indy to victory
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 42-47) defeated St. Paul (Twins), 7-6, on a walk-off. DH Mason Martin (.193) singled home 1B Bligh Madris from second base in the bottom of the ninth inning for the winning run. Madris was 2 for 5, including a two-run homer. 3B Rodolfo Castro (.231) was 2 for...
With 7 shutout innings in win over Marlins, Jose Quintana perhaps aids trade value for Pirates
It’s possible the Pittsburgh Pirates’ future organizational prospect depth improved Saturday night. And not because of what any of their current minor leaguers did. In what almost certainly was one of his final two starts for the organization, veteran Jose Quintana threw seven shutout innings in lifting the Pirates to...
Injured at an inopportune time, OF Greg Allen perseveres to make Pirates debut
It was not surprising Greg Allen was in a good mood while he stood at his locker Saturday afternoon. After all, he was just hours from his season debut and being in the starting lineup for the Pittsburgh Pirates. What might be a little surprising was Allen’s upbeat disposition didn’t...
