Pirates/MLB category, Page 216
Pirates believe Cole Tucker can rob homers in center, even after his miss against Reds
When Nicholas Castellanos came to bat with two outs and a runner on second base, Pittsburgh Pirates outfield coach Tarrik Brock signaled for Cole Tucker to move in at center field in anticipation of making a throw to the plate. “I felt good about that,” Tucker said, “because I want...
Final 2 games of Pirates-Reds series postponed after Reds player tests positive for covid-19
The Pittsburgh Pirates-Cincinnati Reds games Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park were postponed after a Reds player tested positive for covid-19 on Friday. MLB announced that the games were postponed “to allow for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process.” Contact tracing helps identify...
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 16: Al Oliver provided plenty of hits for Lumber Company Pirates
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number. No. 16: Al Oliver Thanks to his knack for plucking balls out of the dirt at first base, Al Oliver was given an appropriate nickname...
Jesse Winker homers twice for Reds, who rough up Pirates with four-run seventh inning
Jesse Winker was one of the hottest hitters in baseball, so the Pittsburgh Pirates certainly were wary of the Cincinnati Reds designated hitter. Where Chad Kuhl missed on his pitches, Winker didn’t. The left-handed Winker homered twice off the Pirates righty for his first career multi-homer game to spark the...
Pirates’ Derek Shelton repeats lineup for 1st time this season
Derek Shelton snapped a streak, sort of, when the Pittsburgh Pirates manager filled out the starting lineup for Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. For the first time this season, the Pirates used the same lineup. “No, it’s not!” Shelton quickly corrected, noting that Jarrod...
Pirates lefty Steven Brault believes he will be more effective in consistent role as a starter
Steven Brault bid adieu to his piggyback partner, preparing to pitch solo after three outings in tandem. Just don’t look for Brault to kiss Chad Kuhl goodbye. “It was a sad breakup. It was tough. It was a very difficult time for us both,” Brault deadpanned. “Now, we we move...
MLB reschedules Pirates-Cardinals postponements as pair of doubleheaders
After postponing games since July 29 because of a coronavirus outbreak, the St. Louis Cardinals will return to playing with a doubleheader Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, and MLB announced a rescheduling of the Cardinals’ games against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The three-game series, originally scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and...
Former Pirate, WPIAL star Neil Walker dusts off skills in emergency MLB pitching debut
Neil Walker completed his WPIAL career at Pine-Richland High School as one of the best athletes in Western Pennsylvania history. He was a three-sport star with the Rams (football, baseball, basketball), playing multiple positions along the way. Walker emerged as one of the best baseball prospects in the country as...
Keone Kela overcomes nerves in season debut as Pirates closer
Keone Kela was full of nerves, pacing back and forth in the bullpen before his long-awaited first appearance of the season. The Pittsburgh Pirates ordained Kela their closer at the start of spring training, but baseball’s shutdown kept him waiting four months to pitch, and a positive test for covid-19...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Aggressive approach helps Pirates reset offense against RedsVideo
A three-day break might have been the best thing for the Pittsburgh Pirates to snap a three-game losing streak, so it was no surprise to hear players treating their trip to Cincinnati as an offensive reset. Before three of their first six batters hit home runs and scored nine runs...
Pirates hit 3 early home runs, hold on to beat Reds
Cincinnati Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani hadn’t allowed an earned run this season before playing the Pittsburgh Pirates. That lasted only one pitch. Adam Frazier hit DeSclafani’s second pitch for a leadoff home run, Colin Moran added another solo shot and Gregory Polanco led off a seven-run second inning with a...
Josh Bell spent Pirates’ downtime working to identify why the timing is off with his swing
Josh Bell knows his numbers through the first 16 games are down compared to his hot start last season, and the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star first baseman isn’t one to make excuses for his struggles. But Bell has spent this week working to identify why he was slashing .213/.246/.328 with two...
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 18: Andy Van Slyke was at center of division-winning Pirates teamsVideo
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number. No. 18: Andy Van Slyke A 1987 trade that brought Andy Van Slyke to the Pittsburgh Pirates initially was highly unpopular with the franchise’s fanbase....
Pirates’ Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault will start separately in CincinnatiVideo
Derek Shelton will break up the Chad Kuhl/Steven Brault piggyback situation in his starting rotation. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ manager said Kuhl will start Friday in the second game of the series in Cincinnati; Brault gets the start Saturday. Shelton’s reasoning is simple. The Pirates need another arm in the rotation...
Pirates closer Keone Kela returns to bullpenVideo
Keone Kela had a bag of balls, a net to throw them into and plenty of free time while quarantined after a positive covid-19 test. That wasn’t enough, though. Passersby might have seen the Pittsburgh Pirates’ closer under the I-279 bridge on the North Side, throwing baseballs off the pillars....
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 19: Pirates’ Bob Friend made durability hallmarkVideo
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number. No. 19: Bob Friend Pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1950s was like taking the mound for the home teams these days at PNC...
Pirates’ pitching woes continue as Joe Musgrove goes on IL, Nick Tropeano claimed
Derek Shelton won’t deny managing an injury-depleted pitching staff is “challenging” for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and their juggling act continued Tuesday with a couple of roster moves. The Pirates placed right-hander Joe Musgrove, their Opening Day starter, on the 10-day injured list with right triceps inflammation. Musgrove (0-3, 6.75 ERA)...
Clemente rookie card, 1900 Wagner team photo up for auction
Pittsburgh Pirate history buffs, get your wallets ready: a New Jersey auction house is taking bids on Roberto Clemente’s 1955 Topps rookie card, as well as a team photo of the Pirates taken during Honus Wagner’s first year with the team in 1900. The auction concludes Sunday. Bidding on the...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pirates are rebuilding, even if they refuse to say so
The Pittsburgh Pirates might refuse to say the word, but all evidence has pointed to rebuilding since the end of the 2019 season. If firing the president, general manager and field manager wasn’t an indication that the Pirates are going in a different direction, trading their best all-around player, center...
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 20: No disputing Josh Gibson’s greatness with Homestead Grays
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number. No. 20: Josh Gibson To say Josh Gibson’s career was the stuff of legend is a nod to the tales about the power-hitting catcher hitting...
First Call: Michael Keaton pans Pirates again, Cam Heyward warns AFC North QBsVideo
Tuesday’s “First Call” gives a frightening perspective to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bad start. Michael Keaton takes another swipe at the franchise. And Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward is giving a little jab to the quarterbacks in his division. Tweet from Wayne Manor Pittsburgh native and award-winning actor Michael Keaton once...
Bill Mazeroski goes to bat for New Stanton’s Poulich Pit BBQ sauceVideo
Sitting on his neighbor’s porch having a drink, Angelo Poulich talked about marketing his barbecue sauce. His neighbor asked if there was anything he could do, such as use his photo or name to help promote the product. “I almost spit out my whiskey when he said that,” said Poulich,...
With MLB’s worst record, Pirates off to historically bad start in shortened season
The postponement of their three-game series at St. Louis because of the Cardinals’ covid-19 outbreak couldn’t have come at a better time for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who own MLB’s worst record (3-13) and are the only team with a winning percentage below .300 (.188). To say this shortened season has...
‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 21: Roberto Clemente stands alone, but has tragic connections
The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number. No. 21: Roberto Clemente The greatest player to wear No. 21 in Pittsburgh sports history needs no introduction. That honor is reserved for Roberto Clemente,...
Pirates sign pitcher Henderson Alvarez, who once threw a no-hitter, to minor league deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates are so desperate for pitching they signed one out of an independent league. This one has a major league resume that includes a no-hitter and an All-Star selection. The Pirates signed Henderson Alvarez to a minor league contract Sunday, adding the 30-year-old right-hander to their 60-man roster...
