Pirates/MLB category, Page 209

The Pittsburgh Pirates continued trying to find the right combination in the bullpen Tuesday when right-handed pitchers Geoff Hartlieb and Yefry Ramirez were recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. Right-handers Alex McRae and Montana DuRapau, who combined to allow 11 hits and every run in the 11-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds...

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ losing streak is not singularly about Josh Bell or the trade of Jordan Lyles or pitchers who don’t belong in the big leagues or the inability to win close games. It’s about all of that. Let’s start with Bell. • The guy knows how to throw a...

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell made this, uh, “throw” in the bottom of the second inning Monday night in Cincinnati. Let’s see if it looks any better on replay.... pic.twitter.com/vQGli0awub— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) July 30, 2019 Yuck! The Reds TV broadcast described that throw from Bell as looking like...

I’m moving this week. So I took Monday off. Eventually, I emerged from a sea of boxes, cable wires, duffel bags and clothes I should’ve thrown away a long time ago to record Madden Monday. Sorry it’s a day late. Mark Madden and I caught up in his studio at...

This probably shouldn’t have hit me the way it did. It was late Saturday night on the set of the CW “Nightly Sports Call.” So maybe I was a bit testy. With the July 31 MLB trade deadline looming, a call came in asking if it was time to “just...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 53-52) was too late for this edition because of a rain delay. Next: Tuesday vs. Columbus (Indians), 7:05 p.m. ••• ALTOONA (Double-A, 53-51) was idle. The Curve have yet to name a starting pitcher for Tuesday night’s game. Next: Tuesday at Trenton (Yankees), 7 p.m. ••• BRADENTON (High-A,...

A year ago, Neal Huntington approached the trade deadline with the hope of pushing the Pittsburgh Pirates toward the postseason. They paid a steep price, including first-round draft choices Austin Meadows and Shane Baz, for experience and talent, adding Chris Archer to the starting rotation and Keone Kela to the...

The Pittsburgh Pirates began the business of reshaping their starting rotation Monday when they traded Jordan Lyles, who was scheduled to start Monday night in Cincinnati, to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league pitcher Cody Ponce. The 25-year-old Ponce, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound right-hander, had been a starter until becoming exclusively...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 53-51) defeated Rochester (Twins), 7-6, in 10 innings. C Christian Kelley (.184) scored the winning run on RF Will Craig’s (.247) fly ball in the 10th. 3B Kevin Kramer (.264) hit his seventh homer. DH Erik Gonzalez (.203) drove in two runs. RHP Geoff Hartlieb (3-0, 2.62) got...

NEW YORK — For the first time in his five-year career, Steven Matz needed no help from the bullpen. Matz pitched an efficient five-hitter for his first complete game in 90 major league starts, and the New York Mets got home runs from Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis in a...

Pirates INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 52-51) lost 4-1 to Rochester (Twins). 1B Hunter Owen (.235 with Indianapolis) was 2 for 3 from the plate with a solo home run in the third inning. LHP Cam Vieaux (3-2, 5.50 with Indianapolis) recorded the defeat after giving up four runs in four innings, including...

NEW YORK — After missing more than two weeks with a shoulder issue, Zack Wheeler felt some relief when leadoff hitter Corey Dickerson swung through his 98 mph fastball Friday night. No doubt, the Mets right-hander did his part heating up the hot stove ahead of next week’s trade deadline....

Except for a few notable exceptions earlier this decade, interest in baseball wanes among area sports fans the day the Pittsburgh Steelers report to training camp. This year, it was remarkable how the two events coincided. The last-place Pirates fell to 2-11 since the All-Star break on Thursday while the...

In “First Call” Friday, Phil Kessel is taking on some added responsibility in Arizona. Another team in the mix for Felipe Vazquez. The worst Pirates trade of all time. Role change for Phil Phil Kessel: Leader! Yeah, I couldn’t type it with a straight face either. But that’s the picture...

Pirates INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 52-50) lost 3-2 to Syracuse (Mets). RF Kevin Kramer (.260) was 2 for 4 from the plate with a fifth-inning solo home run for the game’s first run. RF Trayvon Robinson (.309) hit a pinch-hit RBI double in the eighth inning. LHP Sean Keselica (1-5, 3.74 with...

Before the season, a good case could have been made that Gregory Polanco and Jameson Taillon were the two most important players on the Pittsburgh Pirates roster. Given, of course, a sound shoulder in Polanco’s case and a pain-free forearm for Taillon. Polanco has hit 62 home runs in the...

In “First Call” Thursday, three Pirates pitchers could be traded. Hue Jackson won’t try to bury the hatchet with Baker Mayfield. Emmanuel Sanders is improving. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is on full tilt. Pirates on the move? If reports are right, the Pirates are trying to trade a few players....

In “U mad, bro?” this week, readers disagree about Mike Tomlin. They feign disinterest over Le’Veon Bell. And they find the real root of the Pirates’ problems. Richard sent me an email responding to my column about Steelers coach Mike Tomlin’s denial of distractions impacting his locker room last year....

Jeff Erickson is off this week for our fantasy sports podcast. Kevin Payne, also of Rotowire, pinch hits. NFL training camps are underway. It’s time to start thinking about your fantasy draft. Payne tells us whether JuJu Smith-Schuster or Antonio Brown will have a bigger year. His answer may surprise...

When Jose Osuna was a 15-year-old prospect in Venezuela, he was a pitcher of some note. So, when the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 14-8 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals was getting out of hand Wednesday night and Clint Hurdle was looking to save his bullpen some unnecessary wear and tear, someone...

INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 52-49) shut out Syracuse (Mets), 1-0. RHP James Marvel (3-0, 1.90 ERA) threw six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts, four walks and a hit allowed to earn the victory. 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (.258) scored on a balk in the seventh inning with 2B Kevin Kramer (.257) batting. Hayes...