Got to Category

Pirates/MLB category, Page 8

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
U mad, bro?: April anger from Pirates fans is already boiling over
We are way beyond April Fools’ Day. But there are plenty of fools in Pittsburgh Pirates management. They seem to be proving that on a daily basis. Obtuse quotes from the owner. One public relations fumble after another. And the construction of an offense utterly incapable of extending a rally....
Pirates farm report for April 9, 2025: Ji-Hwan Bae, Braxton Ashcraft spark Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 3-5) took care of Louisville (Reds), 7-3. CF Ji-Hwan Bae (.250) went 2 for 4 with a double and his first home run. 1B Malcom Nunez (.240) went 1 for 3 with his first homer and two RBIs. C Henry Davis (.250) went 2 for 4 with a...
Joe Rutter: Discarded Bucco Bricks are more than just pieces of stone
My father didn’t like to ruin surprises, which is why I learned about my Bucco Brick from a fellow sportswriter on Opening Day of the 2001 season. While PNC Park was being constructed late last century, the Pirates held a campaign to sell personalized bricks that would adorn the sidewalks...
Tim Benz: Paul Skenes’ rough outing continues typically dreary start for Pirates
On Tuesday night, Paul Skenes actually looked human. Fortunately, there was barely anyone in the ballpark to see it. Even the draw of seeing the Pittsburgh Pirates ace in his 2025 home debut wasn’t enough to lure more than 8,291 out to PNC Park on a 38-degree night against the...
Pirates farm report for April 8, 2025: Bubba Chandler fans 8 in 4 innings for Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 2-5) lost 4-2 to Louisville (Reds). RHP Bubba Chandler (0.00) started and threw four dominant innings, allowing one hit and two walks with eight strikeouts. RHP David Bednar worked a perfect sixth, striking out two. RHP Drake Fellows (7.36) and RHP Kyle Nicholas (11.57) also worked a scoreless...
Bryan Reynolds resumes throwing, a positive sign for Pirates All-Star to return to outfield
Bryan Reynolds is back to throwing the ball, a good sign for the Pittsburgh Pirates to get the two-time All-Star back to the outfield after spending the first two weeks of the season at designated hitter. Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Reynolds, who is dealing with...
Joey Bart’s game-winning hit in 13th inning gives Pirates walk-off victory over Cardinals 
Joey Bart had a full count with the bases loaded, so the Pittsburgh Pirates catcher could have taken his chances by not swinging the bat in an attempt to draw a walk. Instead, Bart swung for the fences. Bart hit a deep fly ball to left field for a single...
Pirates left to explain why personalized ‘Bucco Bricks’ from PNC Park ended up on scrap heap
In the latest of a series of events aggravating the team’s fans, the Pittsburgh Pirates issued a statement Tuesday explaining the appearance of commemorative bricks once displayed outside PNC Park at a recycling center. The “Bucco Bricks” program began in 1999. For $75-$150, fans could personalize a message on a...
Pirates mourn loss of Octavio Dotel, killed in a nightclub roof collapse in Dominican Republic
The Pittsburgh Pirates are mourning the loss of Octavio Dotel, the former relief pitcher who was among at least 44 people killed when a nightclub roof collapsed Monday night in his native Dominican Republic. Dotel was among the crowd attending a concert by merengue singer Rubby Perez at Jet Set...
Pirates hope minor league stint can fix David Bednar’s struggles
For Derek Shelton, the decision to demote David Bednar to Triple-A Indianapolis was difficult, so the Pittsburgh Pirates manager knew that informing the two-time All-Star closer would be uncomfortable. Shelton expected Bednar to be emotional, given that he’s a 30-year-old veteran with four-plus years of major league service time and...
Paul Skenes gives up career-high 5 runs as Cardinals beat Pirates to even series
The St. Louis Cardinals proved that Paul Skenes is human, after all. The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 Cy Young favorite, surrendered the most earned runs of his 26 career starts as the Cardinals did all of their damage in two innings. The...
Swissvale man embodies loyalty, love of the Pirates by attending 68th straight home opener
When John Wray III was 6 years old his father took him to his first Pittsburgh Pirates baseball home opener at Forbes Field in Oakland. The date was April 18, 1958. The younger Wray, now 73, hasn’t missed a home opener since. Sitting in front row box seats to 40-plus...
Mixing and matching: With back end of bullpen in flux, Pirates relievers stay ready for any role
With Colin Holderman on the 15-day injured list and David Bednar demoted to Triple-A Indianapolis, Derek Shelton had neither his setup man nor his All-Star closer for the final two innings Sunday. That is the dilemma for the Pittsburgh Pirates manager in his attempt to navigate high-leverage situations by telling...
Tim Benz: Ben Cherington tells Pirates players to ‘take a breath’ as fan rancor swirls
It’s a little early to start thinking about the Pearl Jam concerts at PPG Paints Arena on May 16 and 18. But Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington wants his players to channel their inner Eddie Vedder and “Just Breathe.” “In the clubhouse, what I see is maybe just taking...
Pirates call up shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng, their No. 17 prospect, from Triple-A
The Pittsburgh Pirates promoted their No. 17 overall prospect, 23-year-old shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng, from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday. Cheng, who is with the Pirates ahead of their series-opening home game Monday night vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, would be in line to make his MLB debut. Cheng’s promotion comes as...
Pirates prospect Tsung-Che Cheng soaks up atmosphere after call-up to majors
Over its 24 years as home of the Pirates, PNC Park has had a mesmerizing effect on many because of its picturesque view of downtown Pittsburgh. By his own admission, Tsung-Che Cheng was the latest to be enchanted by the sights. For Cheng, called up Monday by the Pirates from...
Young pitchers get back on track, lead Pirates past Cardinals
Their first starts of the season didn’t go as Carmen Mlodzinski or Thomas Harrington had planned, so the Pittsburgh Pirates right-handers were eager to prove themselves Monday night. In a role reversal, the reliever-turned-starter Mlodzinski had six strikeouts in five innings and the starter-turned-reliever Harrington added five strikeouts in protecting...
Tim Benz: Ben Cherington’s Paul Skenes-Pedro Martinez comp misses a crucial ingredient
During his weekly radio show on Sunday afternoon, Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington was asked if he had ever seen anyone like Paul Skenes. The name he pulled was Pedro Martinez. “I was with the Red Sox during part of Pedro’s prime. They’re very different pitchers. They do it...
Mark Madden: Ridicule Pirates for many things, but not for disrespecting Clemente family
The Pirates erected a statue of Roberto Clemente outside PNC Park. His retired No. 21 is on display. The right-field wall is called the Roberto Clemente Wall, is 21 feet tall and adorned with two No. 21s. Clemente was in the first class inducted to the Pirates’ in-house hall of...
Andrew Heaney’s 10 strikeouts, Tommy Pham’s walk-off single in 11th lift Pirates past Yankees
The Pittsburgh Pirates found the perfect antidote for the hot-hitting New York Yankees in soft-tossing left-hander Andrew Heaney, who lulled their torpedo bats to sleep with a fastball that sat a tick below 90 mph. Heaney recorded 10 strikeouts in seven innings, only for the Pirates’ lack of a closer...
Pirates president vows to put Roberto Clemente’s name back on wall
The Pittsburgh Pirates responded to their latest controversy by reversing their decision to remove a logo with Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente’s name and No. 21 below the right-field foul pole. Pirates president Travis Williams took responsibility for replacing the logo with a Surfside ad without first informing the Clemente...
Pirates place righty reliever Colin Holderman on 15-day IL, recall Chase Shugart from Indy
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a bullpen move before Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees that will affect high-leverage situations, as they now need both a closer and a setup man. They placed right-handed reliever Colin Holderman on the 15-day injured list with a right knee sprain and recalled righty...
Pirates intrigued by power-hitting potential of new addition Alexander Canario
Alexander Canario brought a reputation of power-hitting potential along with frequent swings and misses into his debut action with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday. “From the people I’ve talked to in other places he’s been, when he impacts the ball, it’s pretty impressive,” manager Derek Shelton said. Canario, traded to...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington calls demoting David Bednar a ‘difficult’ decision, conversation
Informing two-time All-Star closer David Bednar he was being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis was what Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington called “a very difficult decision, a very difficult conversation and not one he liked in the moment.” Cherington addressed the move to demote Bednar, a Mars alum who is...
Pirates farm report for April 5, 2025: Javier Rivas, Maikol Escotto lead Greensboro to 2-0 start
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 1-3) and Iowa (Cubs) had their game canceled because of inclement weather. Friday’s game that was suspended as well will resume in the top of the 10th inning at 12:15 p.m. Sunday. Sunday’s game will begin 45 minutes after the conclusion. Next: Sunday vs. Iowa (Cubs), 12:15 p.m....


Editor's Picks

Front Porch Theatricals’ musical ‘Baby’ is a labor of love

Washington townhouse on the market for $1,225,000
Folk legend Bruce Cockburn gives uplifting performance at City Winery
‘Champagne & Chapeaux’: Westmoreland Symphony’s annual soiree for a good cause
Jimmy Stewart’s P-51 Mustang stops in hometown for museum anniversary
More Editor's Picks >