Pirates/MLB category, Page 116

In the biggest moment of his baseball career, Heath Hembree remembers receiving the phone call in the bullpen, tossing a couple warm-up pitches and realizing that he needed to use the restroom. “When they called and said I was in the game,” Hembree said, “I had to go to the...

BRADENTON, Fla. — It was a diversion by Derek Shelton, a way for the Pittsburgh Pirates manager to avoid a question about a secondary position battle that could come to the forefront early this season. What do you need from a backup catcher? “We haven’t even talked about carrying a...

TAMPA — Diego Castillo has gone about his business quietly in spring training, making a positive impression on the Pittsburgh Pirates while bouncing around the infield and making consistent contact. When New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole grooved an outside fastball, Castillo drove it over the right-field fence for a...

BRADENTON, Fla. — Daniel Vogelbach greeted the media contingent that follows Yoshi Tsutsugo with a bow and a smile in the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse at LECOM Park, teasing his new teammate about being covered as if he were the president of Japan. When asked about the fast friendship he has...

SARASOTA, Fla. — Anthony Alford spent spring training swinging and missing as the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder was hitless with nine strikeouts in his first 12 at-bats. When Alford finally connected, he made it count. Alford hit a two-run home run over the right-field fence off Keegna Akin in the fifth...

SARASOTA, Fla. — A threat to touch triple digits, Roansy Contreras gave a glimpse of how his fastball plays in a dazzling major league debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates late last September. The Pirates’ top pitching prospect won’t be in their Opening Day starting rotation, however, as the 22-year-old right-hander...

BRADENTON, Fla. — Anthony Banda joined the Pittsburgh Pirates just days after the trade deadline, when they dealt Richard Rodriguez to the Atlanta Braves and created an opening in the most critical role in the bullpen. Instead of finding talk of using a closer-by-committee approach to replace Rodriguez — who...

The value of the Pittsburgh Pirates rose 3% to $1.32 billion, according to Forbes’ annual ranking of baseball franchise values. The New York Yankees continue to rank first at $6 billion, followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers ($4.075 billion), Boston Red Sox ($3.9 billion), Chicago Cubs ($3.8 billion) and San...

BRADENTON, Fla. — As much as Oneil Cruz wants to stay at shortstop, he prefers to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates more than anything. So he was receptive to their request to do outfield drills earlier this week. Cruz got a phone call from Triple-A Indianapolis manager Miguel Perez on...

BRADENTON, Fla. — Greg Allen never had worn a live microphone before, so the Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder wanted to make the most of his “Mic’d Up” segment Thursday afternoon against the Philadelphia Phillies. Allen provided live commentary as he chased down a Mickey Moniak pop fly in shallow left field...

BRADENTON, Fla. — After walking Jean Segura in the first inning, Mitch Keller glanced at the scoreboard to see that he was throwing more balls than strikes, a bad sign for the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander. Keller soon showed what kind of damage he can do with increased velocity and a...

The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to contracts Thursday with 34 players for the 2022 season. Those signings includes 15 position players: outfielders Anthony Alford, Greg Allen, Jared Oliva, Canaan Smith-Njigba, Jack Suwinski and Travis Swaggerty; and infielders Diego Castillo, Rodolfo Castro, Michael Chavis, Oneil Cruz, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Tucupita Marcano, Hoy Park,...

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates have been searching for a second baseman since trading All-Star Adam Frazier last July, and a crowded competition is now down to a handful of candidates at spring training. With Nick Gonzales, Ji-hwan Bae and Tucupita Marcano reassigned to minor-league camp, the Pirates can...

LAKELAND, Fla. — Hoy Park’s arrival at spring training was delayed not so much by his case of covid-19 in South Korea but a second positive test upon his arrival to Pittsburgh Pirates spring training. In his first Grapefruit League game, Park was right on time. Park drove an Eduardo...

As the Pittsburgh Pirates attempt to build a starting rotation, the progress of a pair of right-handed pitchers who made spot starts last season has been slowed by injuries that could jeopardize their Opening Day status. Neither Miguel Yajure (lumbar spine injury) nor Max Kranick (right forearm tightness) has appeared...

BRADENTON, Fla. — Bryan Reynolds and the Pittsburgh Pirates are headed to an arbitration hearing, and the All-Star center fielder said the club never offered a long-term extension to avoid the process. Reynolds reportedly asked for $4.9 million while the Pirates countered with an offer of $4.25 million, and they...

BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates placed Henry Davis in a locker in the middle of their clubhouse at LECOM Park, yet the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft was hardly the center of attention. A nonroster invitee, the former University of Louisville catcher knew his time...

BRADENTON, Fla. — JT Brubaker came out slinging his slider against the Baltimore Orioles, gaining such confidence in the pitch that Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Roberto Perez called it three times in a row. Brubaker threw his slider on seven of his 25 pitches Tuesday, including a swinging strikeout by Jacob...

BRADENTON, Fla. — Hey there, Delilah. Before the birth of his first child — a daughter, Delilah Marie — Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Ben Gamel provided the perfect present. As Pirates bench coach Don Kelly shared a shoutout to Lauren Gamel during the AT&T SportsNet broadcast that her husband was leaving...

BRADENTON, Fla. — Chris Stratton avoided arbitration with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as the right-handed reliever more than doubled his salary by agreeing to a one-year, $2.7 million contract for the 2022 season. All-Star center fielder Bryan Reynolds is the Pirates’ only other arbitration-eligible player this season. After making $601,000 last...

BRADENTON, Fla. — When the Pittsburgh Pirates made their first roster moves of spring training, it provided insight into why one of their former first-round draft picks didn’t play in any Grapefruit League games this spring. Outfielder Travis Swaggerty, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, was...

Roansy Contreras raised eyebrows when his first pitch was clocked at 99.4 mph, though it wasn’t because the Pittsburgh Pirates are unaware the 22-year-old right-hander is capable of touching triple digits. That he was throwing heat in his first spring training appearance is a sign that Contreras, their top pitching...

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Dillon Peters was a late addition to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting rotation last season after being acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations in mid-July. After the Pirates signed fellow lefty Jose Quintana to a free-agent deal, Peters seemed like a forgotten man in the...

Oneil Cruz attempted to explain how he turned an ankles-high pitch into a 413-foot home run Saturday, crediting everything from his work in the batting cage to keeping an eye on the ball to barreling it. Then the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect flashed a smile and offered the only explanation...