Pirates/MLB category, Page 151
U mad, bro?: Steelers fans pounce on Doug Whaley’s Jack Ham comments; Pirates fans rip roster; reader backs Jacob Trouba hits
Despite a good week out west, fans are still piling on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Criticism of Jacob Trouba’s hits have hockey fans in a snit. And someone was critical of a Super Stiller from the 1970s. Perhaps the ultimate Pittsburgh sin. All that and more in this week’s “U mad,...
Pirates farm report for June 1, 2022: Travis Swaggerty homers in Indy rout
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 25-24) clobbered Omaha (Royals), 13-3. CF Travis Swaggerty (.266) went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer, his third. C Carter Bins (.229) went 2 for 4 with a double, a solo homer, his second, and three RBIs. LF Canaan Smith-Njigba (.263) went 2 for 6 with a...
Pirates defeat Dodgers, 8-4, to complete stunning 3-game sweep in Los Angeles
The Pittsburgh Pirates venturing into Dodger Stadium and winning all three games would have been surprising even if Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker and A.J. Burnett were still pulling the strings. But Wednesday, it was Rodolfo Castro, Mike Chavis, Chase De Jong and several others who led the Pirates to an...
Pirates find ways to survive while 7 players heal injuries
Shortstop Kevin Newman went on the injured list April 27, the first of seven Pittsburgh Pirates regulars or semi-regulars who remained inactive through Wednesday’s game in Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium. The list touches almost every area of the Pirates’ roster: infield, outfield, catcher and the bullpen. It includes: • Newman...
Mitch Keller, 4 relief pitchers lead Pirates to 2nd consecutive victory against Dodgers
For the Pittsburgh Pirates to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers in four of five games — such as they have done this season — everything must be just right. In the Pirates’ second consecutive victory against the National League’s best team – a 5-3 victory Tuesday night in front of...
Pirates farm report for May 31, 2022: Travis Swaggerty on base 4 times in Indy loss
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 24-24) lost 2-1 to Omaha (Royals) on a walk-off solo home run by RF Nate Eaton. RHP Austin Brice (1-2, 3.20) gave up the two-out shot. RHP Jerad Eickhoff (4.58) started and pitched five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk and fanning three. CF Travis Swaggerty...
After 2 relief appearances, Mitch Keller scheduled to start Tuesday night against Dodgers
Mitch Keller will be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting pitcher Tuesday night in Dodger Stadium, but he won’t necessarily take a regular spot in the rotation. Speaking on his radio show on KDKA-FM, Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Keller’s role on the pitching staff “will continue to stay in flux to...
Mark Madden: Why can’t the Pirates develop talent?
Ben Cherington is in his third season as Pittsburgh Pirates GM. Things aren’t improving. The Pirates just DFA’d Cole Tucker, their first-round pick in 2014. He’s all teeth and hair, no bat. Lots of charisma, zero pop. He hit .175 with the Pirates this season, .135 in Triple-A. Cherington inherited...
In his latest victory, Pirates closer David Bednar tests his limits
After striking out Will Smith to clinch a comeback win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night, David Bednar couldn’t contain his excitement on AT&T SportsNet’s postgame interview. When Robby Incmikoski asked him about the excitement of beating the best team in baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates closer dropped an...
Tim Benz: Ex-Pirates pitchers shining across MLB
Now that Memorial Day has come and gone, baseball fans can start gauging who will be in the mix for the Major League Baseball All-Star game (July 19 in Los Angeles). One Pittsburgh Pirate who is making an early push is closer David Bednar. His nine saves are eighth in...
After blowing 4-run lead, Pirates rally with 2 runs in the ninth to stun Dodgers
Trailing the best team in baseball by a run in the top of the ninth inning, the Pittsburgh Pirates decided to go for broke by taking a chance on a pair of plays at the plate. Diego Castillo scored from second on a Michael Perez single to right for the...
Pirates DFA former 1st-round pick Cole Tucker to make room for newly acquired Yu Chang
The Pittsburgh Pirates formally announced the trade with the Cleveland Guardians for corner infielder Yu Chang — and it came at the expense of a former first-round pick. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Pirates designated infielder/outfielder Cole Tucker for assignment Monday morning. Tucker, their first-round pick (No....
Pirates farm report for May 29, 2022: Oneil Cruz, Mason Martin homer in Indy’s loss
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 24-23) lost to St. Paul (Twins), 8-7, on a walk-off single. SS Oneil Cruz (.220) smacked his seventh home run, and 1B Mason Martin (.241) cracked his 11th homer. 2B Ji-hwan Bae (.301) was 2 for 5 with two RBIs. RF Canaan Smith-Njigba (.262) was 2 for 3...
Trent Grisham’s walk-off home run lifts Padres past Pirates in 10th inning
Trent Grisham showed bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning before the San Diego Padres gave him the green light. Grisham swung away when he saw Chris Stratton’s 2-0 fastball and drove it 368 feet off the right-field foul pole for a two-run home run to lift the Padres...
With 1B depth depleted by injuries, Pirates trade with Cleveland for Yu Chang
Down to playing a middle infielder at first base because of injuries, the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday acquired Yu Chang from the Cleveland Guardians for cash considerations, a source confirmed to the Tribune-Review. Chang’s arrival comes after the Pirates placed outfielder Ben Gamel and designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach (left hamstring...
Pirates starting lineup dealt another blow as OF Ben Gamel placed on IL, Hoy Park recalled
The Pittsburgh Pirates were dealt another blow to their starting lineup and already depleted outfield depth Sunday when they placed Ben Gamel on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. Gamel was injured while stealing second base and left in the eighth inning of Saturday night’s 4-2 win...
Pirates 1B prospect Mason Martin practicing patience while waiting for his time to come
When it comes to his own swing decisions, Mason Martin has changed his mentality so that he’s not searching for the perfect pitch. Now, he’s proving that his patience goes beyond the plate. Despite the Pirates dealing with depth issues at first base because of injuries, the top prospect at...
Ke’Bryan Hayes hits 1st homer of season, a 3-run shot in 9th to boost Pirates past Padres
Ke’Bryan Hayes had a glaring omission on his statistics line, a big, fat zero under home runs that followed the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman through the first 40 games of the season. His first came at the perfect time. Trailing by a run with one out in the top of...
Pirates farm report for May 28, 2022: Ji-hwan Bae homers in Indianapolis win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 24-22) defeated St. Paul (Twins), 7-4. 2B Ji-hwan Bae went 2 for 5 with a homer, his fifth, and three RBIs. DH Travis Swaggerty (.257) went 2 for 5 with a triple and an RBI. C Carter Bins (.214) went 2 for 4 with a double and drove...
Coming back as the closer: Since being traded by Padres, David Bednar thriving with Pirates
Returning to San Diego’s Petco Park this weekend is special for David Bednar, as the Padres drafted him in the 35th round out of Lafayette in 2016 and developed him into a major-leaguer. “I came up all the way with the Padres,” Bednar said. “It’s always cool to see all...
Pirates injuries, critical error at first base lead Padres to victory
Before the first pitch was thrown in the San Diego Padres’ 4-3 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, the visitors confronted a series of injury problems. The injuries hurt on multiple levels, but the most critical situation emerged in the sixth inning of a game watched by a...
Pirates farm report for May 27, 2022: Oneil Cruz homers in Indy loss
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 23-22) was outslugged by St. Paul (Twins), 9-8, in 10 innings. Indy blew an 8-4 lead after seven innings. RHP Hunter Stratton (4.09) gave up a three-run homer in the eighth and RHP Cristofer Melendez (2-3, 4.08) allowed a solo homer in the ninth. LF Oneil Cruz (.213)...
Pirates place Yoshi Tsutsugo on injured list, recall Tucupita Marcano from Double-A Altoona
Yoshi Tsutsugo, who has been the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting first baseman for 27 of the 43 games this season, was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a lumbar muscle strain. The move is officially retroactive to Wednesday. Infielder/outfielder Tucupita Marcano, who was acquired last year from the San...
For Pirates rookie outfielder Cal Mitchell, 1st road trip to San Diego a happy homecoming
Cal Mitchell had his first pinch-me moment in the third inning of his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he caught Charlie Blackmon’s fly ball to right field and threw it back into the infield. “It was like, ‘OK, I got to have my first touch,’ ” Mitchell said....
Pirates farm report for May 26, 2022: Mike Burrows throws 7 scoreless for Altoona
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 22-21) was lit up by St. Paul (Twins), 8-1. RHP Osvaldo Bido (0-3, 4.72) started and was touched up for six runs on six hits, including two homers, in 4.2 innings. Indianapolis had eight hits but only produced one run. SS Oneil Cruz (.206) went 2 for 4...
