Pirates/MLB category, Page 72
Luis Ortiz embracing bullpen role, demonstrating value as reliever for Pirates
So far this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have asked pitcher Luis Ortiz to wear multiple hats coming out of the bullpen, even as he acclimates to that new role with the club. Through parts of two previous seasons with the Pirates, the 25-year-old Ortiz was primarily as a starter. A...
Pirates farm report for May 7, 2024: Henry Davis goes 0 for 3 in return to Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-15) was beaten 6-2 by Louisville (Reds). Starter LHP Eric Lauer (2-1, 3.95) tossed 4⅓ innings and gave up a three-run home run among his four hits allowed, walked two and struck out seven to take the loss. RHP Wily Peralta (5.21) did not allow a hit or...
Angels pound out 15 hits, hand Pirates their most lopsided loss of season
Quinn Priester has a tendency to pitch to contact, as the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander was getting ground balls at a 68.5% rate. The Los Angeles Angels put the ball in the air Tuesday night, pounding Priester for seven of their 15 hits, including a three-run home run by Kevin Pillar....
Newest Pirates’ team dog scores official name
And his name is … Slugger. The Pittsburgh Pirates revealed the name for the team dog on Monday. The club introduced the pup last week, and a poll was opened for Pirates fans to vote on a name for him. Slugger emerged victorious with 31% of the vote. Bandit, Rookie...
Tim Benz: If the Pirates ‘haven’t figured out yet’ how to promote Paul Skenes, don’t make it harder than it needs to be
At 17-19, not much has gone right for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024. At least not since that 11-5 start. At least not before they got back-to-back series on the schedule against the lousy Los Angeles Angels after facing the even worse Colorado Rockies. The hitting has been bad for...
Fresh off grand slam, Pirates’ Edward Olivares committed to making most of opportunitiesVideo
From the moment the ball left his bat, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Edward Olivares needed little reassurance that he’d gotten every bit of it. In the bottom of the third inning of Monday’s series-opening contest against the Angels, with the bases loaded, Olivares crushed the first pitch he saw from Los...
Mitch Keller tosses complete game, Edward Olivares hits grand slam as Pirates top Angels
Mitch Keller was soaked with sweat from the heat and humidity and just seven pitches shy of reaching 100, but the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander made it clear that he wanted the ball for the ninth inning. “Just empty the tank,” Keller said. “They’re giving me the opportunity, just give it...
Mark Madden: Umpires hardly at root of Pirates’ offensive struggles — and other sports notes
In the seasons of wither, we’ll stand and deliver. Be strong and laugh and shout at the refreshing sports notes. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before… • Andrew McCutchen is hitting .182 with 31 strikeouts in 88 at-bats. The Pirates have scored 121 runs, ranking 24th in MLB. They...
Tim Benz: Blaming assistant coaches won’t fix Pittsburgh’s plodding sports teams
During a recent episode of “The Carton Show” on FS1, retired Pittsburgh Steeler Willie Colon said his former coach Mike Tomlin is in hot water. “I love Mike Tomlin. But I have to officially say he is on the hot seat,” Colon said. “When you talk about his overall record,...
After being target of fan frustration, Pirates 1B Rowdy Tellez starting to turn it around at plate
Rowdy Tellez understood the optics of getting caught admiring his work when his 100.6-mph line drive to right field ricocheted off the top of the Clemente Wall and bounced back into the outfield. In an instant, Tellez went from watching what he thought was a home run to sprinting and...
‘Looking out for us’: Pirates deliberate in development of Jared Jones, Paul Skenes
Yasmani Grandal has had a front-row seat for two of the featured attractions in baseball, starting behind the plate for Paul Skenes at Triple-A Indianapolis and Jared Jones for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the span of five days, the two-time All-Star catcher was witness to why they are more than...
Pirates farm report for May 5, 2024: Anthony Solometo, Bubba Chandler help end Curve’s 15-game skid
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-14) topped Buffalo (Blue Jays), 8-3. SS Nick Gonzales (.360) had two doubles, a walk and an RBI. 1B Jake Lamb (.403) was 2 for 3 with a walk. DH Malcolm Nunez (.261), 2B Liover Peguero (.306) and LF Matt Gorski (.236) all had RBIs. RF Dustin Peterson...
Pirates rally to beat Rockies, win 1st series since early April
If the last few weeks have served as any guide, the three-run hole the Pittsburgh Pirates found themselves in early Sunday afternoon should have been more than enough to sink them and lead to yet another loss. After all, the Pirates have managed three or more runs only twice in...
Paul Skenes surrenders 1st homer as a pro, as Pirates top prospect starts on 4 days of rest
The Pittsburgh Pirates wanted to see top prospect Paul Skenes check off an important box in his development by having the 6-foot-6½-inch right-hander make his first start on four days of rest. Skenes checked off another by surrendering the first home run of his professional career, as Buffalo’s Will Robertson...
Pirates GM Ben Cherington offers thoughts on Paul Skenes’ path, Henry Davis’ demotion
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington conducted his weekly radio show on 93.7 The Fan on Sunday afternoon, wrapping up as the club’s top prospect, Paul Skenes, prepared to make his seventh start for Triple-A Indianapolis. With Skenes posting a 0.39 ERA, 41 strikeouts and six walks to date at...
Pirates farm report for May 4, 2024: Ji Hwan Bae, hitting .404, collects 2 hits for Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 15-14) was blasted by Buffalo (Blue Jays), 9-3. LF Ji Hwan Bae (.404) went 2 for 3 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk. SS Nick Gonzales (.355) went 1 for 4 with a triple and a run scored. RF Jake Lamb (.392) went 1 for...
‘It’s just atrocious’: Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen rips strike zones of MLB umpires
When it comes to major-league batters’ recognition skills and their ability to win pitch-by-pitch battles with their mound opponents, Andrew McCutchen was unflinching in identifying a key component that’s out of a hitter’s control and subject to change nightly. “The strike zone’s horrible,” the Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter said before...
Jared Jones sizzles, Jack Suwinski delivers walk-off single as Pirates beat Rockies
As Jared Jones walked off the field in the seventh inning, a chorus of cheers erupted from the rain-drenched fans in honor of the best start yet by the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander. Jones allowed only one hit in seven scoreless innings while tying his career best with 10 strikeouts...
Pirates farm report for May 3, 2024: Jake Lamb collects 2 more hits for Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 15-13) was knocked around by Buffalo (Blue Jays), 10-4. RHP Wily Peralta (5.40) started and was mostly effective, giving up one run on three hits with four strikeouts and no walks. RHP JC Flowers (2-1, 6.59) came on and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits and...
9th inning rally falls short, as Pirates fall to lowly Rockies for 5th straight loss
If their Friday night loss to the Colorado Rockies proves anything for the Pittsburgh Pirates, it’s that playing one of MLB’s worst teams offers no antidote to their ongoing issues, namely figuring out how to emerge from a frustrating multi-week offensive slump. The Rockies, who came to PNC Park with...
Amid offensive struggles, Pirates demote catcher Henry Davis to Triple-A
As one of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ No. 1 overall draft picks closes in on a highly anticipated MLB debut, Friday afternoon brought news that another will navigate an early career disruption. All eyes are on pitcher Paul Skenes, selected atop the 2023 MLB Draft by the Pirates, who is expected...
After adjustment period, Pirates counting on improved outfield with Michael A. Taylor in CF
When the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Michael A. Taylor, it was with the intention of adding a pure center fielder with a Gold Glove on his resume to improve their outfield defense. What they got for the first eight games of the season was a player whose bat was better than...
A look at Pirates’ offensive numbers finds little reason for immediate hope
I’m not sure the phrase “swept by the Oakland A’s” really needs much contextualizing, but let’s do that from a Pittsburgh Pirates’ perspective as they return home from a brutal California swing. Not only did the Pirates lose three in a row against the vagabond franchise from Oakland, but they...
Pirates farm report for May 2, 2024: 2 Bradenton pitchers take no-hitter into 9th
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 16-13) beat Buffalo (Blue Jays), 6-4. LF Billy McKinney went 2 for 4 with a double and a two-run homer, his second of the season. 1B Jake Lamb (.388) went 1 for 3 with a double. DH Canaan Smith-Njigba (.281) went 2 for 4 with a double and...
U mad, bro?: Some fans didn’t like the Steelers’ draft (or my opinions on it); ‘ruff’ debut for Pirates’ pup
Despite a draft that has gotten positive reviews, not all Pittsburgh Steelers fans are happy about the organization’s efforts last weekend. Others just didn’t like my coverage of it. We also have some angst over the Steelers’ QB situation, baseball pitch counts and general disdain over how the Pirates “have...
