Pirates/MLB category, Page 69
Tim Benz: Jim Leyland sums up why Pirates made right call to induct Barry Bonds into team’s Hall of Fame
Before former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Jim Leyland threw out the first pitch on Opening Day at PNC Park this year, I asked him about the prospect of Barry Bonds ever having a moment like that in Pittsburgh. An Opening Day first pitch? Getting inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame?...
Mark Madden: Pittsburgh should embrace Barry Bonds’ undeniable greatness
Barry Bonds will return to Pittsburgh on Aug. 24 to be inducted into the Pirates Hall of Fame via a pregame ceremony at PNC Park. Don’t boo. There is no reason for Pittsburgh to hate Barry Bonds. You should love him. OK, so he left the Pirates to cash in...
Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz channels frustration into ‘unbelievable’ exit velocities
Oneil Cruz was ticked off about a fielding error on a fly ball that allowed two runs to score in the first inning, so the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop took out his anger with swing after violent swing. Cruz made contact that left his teammates in disbelief, delivering the hardest hits...
Pirates farm report for May 21, 2024: Henry Davis homers again for Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 21-22) clobbered Toledo (Tigers), 18-6. C Henry Davis (.279) went 2 for 5 with a double, a two-run homer, his fourth, two walks, four runs scored and his first stolen base. LF Matt Gorski (.278) went 3 for 6 with two homers, his fifth and sixth, and five...
Nick Gonzales delivers walk-off win after Pirates rally from 4-run deficit in 9th
The Pittsburgh Pirates staged an inspiring four-run rally against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, so Nick Gonzales was looking to be aggressive in extra innings. The rookie second baseman didn’t hesitate to swing at the first pitch he saw, drilling lefty...
Pirates announce Barry Bonds, Jim Leyland, Manny Sanguillen as 2024 Hall of Fame classVideo
On Feb. 18, Jaromir Jagr and the Pittsburgh Penguins came together for what had long been considered an unfathomable rapprochement, when Jagr’s No. 68 sweater was retired and hung from the rafters at PPG Paints Arena. On Pittsburgh’s North Shore, a reconciliation of similar magnitude appears to be in the...
Ji Hwan Bae brings speed, defensive versatility, hot bat into Pirates lineup
The Pittsburgh Pirates called up Ji Hwan Bae, their top offensive performer this season at Triple-A Indianapolis, on Tuesday. He is batting ninth and starting in center field Tuesday night as the Pirates host the San Francisco Giants. Bae, 24, led qualified Indians players with a .367 batting average, .479...
Mark Madden: Rotation looks promising, but Pirates have urgent need for bats
The Pittsburgh Pirates could be on the verge of turning a corner soon. The Paul Skenes phenomenon might be even bigger than expected. Every game Skenes starts is an event, like a playoff game. That won’t wear off anytime soon. I just hope he doesn’t get rattled and drop the...
Milene Mazeroski, wife of Pirates legend Bill Mazeroski, dies
Milene Mazeroski, wife of legendary Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski, has died. Milene, 85, died early Sunday morning in Lansdale, Pa., according to the Pirates. Milene was born in Braddock. She was married to Bill, 87, for 64 years. They met while she worked in the Pirates front office...
‘Starting pitching is the key’: Potential of Pirates rotation on full display vs. Cubs
Even before the Pittsburgh Pirates embarked on their seven-game road trip to Milwaukee and Chicago, which concluded Sunday with a series win over the Cubs, manager Derek Shelton had a good feeling about the nucleus of his starting rotation. On paper, any combination of Mitch Keller, Jared Jones and Paul...
Tim Benz: For once, at least we can see signs that 1 plan for the Pirates may come together
It’s early for the Pittsburgh Pirates to go full Col. Hannibal Smith from the “A-Team.” But in terms of the club’s starting rotation, don’t you just “love it when a plan comes together”? For one series, anyway, that just happened. And for a franchise whose best laid plans so often...
Pirates farm report for May 19, 2024: 3-run homers by Termarr Johnson, Nick Cimillo spark Grasshoppers
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 20-22) split a doubleheader against Toledo (Tigers). In Game 1, Toledo won 10-1. 1B Jake Lamb (.342) was 1 for 2 with a double, walk and RBI. LF Ji Hwan Bae (.361) singled. C Henry Davis (.263) was 1 for 3 with a double and run scored. RHP...
Nick Gonzales’ 2-run single lifts Pirates over Cubs for 3rd win in 4 games at Wrigley
The Pittsburgh Pirates faced a familiar foe Sunday at Wrigley Field in their fourth and final game with the Chicago Cubs: Jameson Taillon. The Pirates’ first-round (No. 2 overall) pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, Taillon started for Chicago and faced his friend and former teammate, Mitch Keller. In a...
Pirates assistant GM offers updates on Henry Davis, several minor-leaguers
Pittsburgh Pirates assistant general manager Steve Sanders, filling in for Ben Cherington Sunday on 93.7 FM, provided updates on a number of the club’s minor-league players. Notably, catcher Henry Davis is finding a bit of a stride at Triple-A Indianapolis after a demotion May 3. Davis hit just .162 in...
Pirates reliever Josh Fleming clears waivers, accepts assignment to Triple-A
Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Josh Fleming, designated for assignment on May 14, cleared waivers Saturday and accepted outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis, the Pirates announced. Fleming, a 28-year-old lefty in his first season with the Pirates, was 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA in 17 appearances, recording 13 strikeouts and nine walks...
Pirates farm report for May 18, 2024: Henry Davis homers twice for Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 19-21) outslugged Toledo (Tigers), 16-10. DH Henry Davis (.257) went 2 for 4 with two home runs and four RBIs. CF Ji Hwan Bae (.366) went 4 for 6 with adouble, his fourth home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. 2B Matt Gorski (.260) went 3 for...
Pirates fall to Cubs in bottom of 9th on controversial walk-off
An impressive pitching duel between the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bailey Falter and the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga dominated the majority of Saturday’s game at Wrigley Field, but a controversial safe call at home plate in the bottom of the ninth gave Chicago a 1-0 walk-off victory. With one out and David Bednar...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Why are the Pirates protecting Paul Skenes’ arm?
On Friday, the Pirates pulled Paul Skenes from his second MLB start while he was pitching a no-hitter. I get it. But here’s betting Skenes would have completed the no-no. In six innings, Skenes threw 100 pitches. A vast portion were unhittable. He struck out 11, including the first seven...
Injured Pirates navigate frustration, loneliness, slow passage of time while recovering
There’s no shortage of unfortunate health-related situations that can land an MLB player on the injured list. While the spectrum of ailments that puts players on the mend is vast, those in recovery mode usually share a common perspective gained from being out of the action. “More than anything, being...
Inside Paul Skenes’ scintillating 1st MLB win: Pitch by pitch, inning by inningVideo
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal was blunt last week when asked to assess Paul Skenes’ MLB debut, when the 21-year-old lasted four innings against the Chicago Cubs, allowing three runs and six hits. “Not the best I’ve seen him, that’s for sure, but I hold him to high standards,” Grandal...
Pirates farm report for May 17, 2024: Bubba Chandler walks 5 of 7 batters for Altoona
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 18-21) fell 8-3 to Toledo (Tigers). 2B Ji Hwan Bae (.345) went 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and his seventh stolen base. LF Canaan Smith-Njigba (.253) went 1 for 2 with a triple, two RBIs and two walks. C Henry Davis (.226) went 1 for...
Paul Skenes dominates, strikes out 11 in 6 no-hit innings as Pirates blow out Cubs
Paul Skenes’ four-inning MLB debut last week against the Chicago Cubs was promising but ultimately left something to be desired. In big-league start No. 2 on Friday at Wrigley Field, Skenes faced the Cubs again and put together an outing that was far more becoming of the former Pittsburgh Pirates...
Pirates pull Paul Skenes after 6 no-hit innings against CubsVideo
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes dazzled in his second MLB start Friday, blanking the Chicago Cubs over six no-hit innings, recording 11 strikeouts and one walk. Skenes’ day at Wrigley Field came to an end after 100 pitches. The only baserunner he allowed was a fifth-inning walk to Michael...
Pirates’ Paul Skenes set to face Cubs again in 2nd MLB start
The similarities between Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes’ first and upcoming second MLB starts are obvious. As was the case last Saturday in his big-league debut, he’ll face the Chicago Cubs, this time at Wrigley Field, with first pitch scheduled for 2:20 p.m. Friday. That means navigating a similar lineup...
Yasmani Grandal’s mentorship helps fuel success for Pirates rookie pitcher Jared JonesVideo
Before he was called up to the big leagues, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes worked with catcher Yasmani Grandal just one time at Triple-A Indianapolis but came away impressed by the 35-year-old veteran. “He’s an encyclopedia of how to get guys out,” Skenes said of Grandal upon arriving in...
