Pirates/MLB category, Page 8
Pirates induct Vernon Law, Al Oliver, Kiki Cuyler into team hall of fame
They celebrated their victories, but there was no time for partying where Vernon Law and Al Oliver were concerned. Besides, even if they could, neither wanted anything to do with it. For those two former Pittsburgh Pirates greats, faith has ruled their lives. “Baseball has been my career. Yes, I’ve...
Judge orders closure of sex assault case against former Pirates pitcher
A Westmoreland County judge has ordered the closure of the criminal case that ended the Major League Baseball career of former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez. Vazquez, 34, was convicted of the sexual assault of a Scottdale teenager and served about four years in prison before he was deported in...
To Pirates, putting top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler in bullpen ‘will be good for him’
When word spread in the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse that Bubba Chandler would be making his major-league debut out of the bullpen instead of the starting rotation, Mike Burrows wasn’t surprised. A 22-year-old right-hander who is baseball’s top pitching prospect, Chandler has started 83 of his 89 career games in the...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 20, 2025: Nick Dombkowski, 2 Indy relievers throw 3-hit shutout
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 71-50) blanked Syracuse (Mets), 6-0, with three pitchers combining on a three-hit shutout. LHP Nick Dombkowski (2-5, 6.38) started and went six innings, allowing two hits and no walks with four strikeouts. RHP Jack Little (0.00) pitched two no-hit innings. RHP Ryan Harbin (7.36) threw a scoreless ninth....
Johan Oviedo earns 1st victory since 2023, as Pirates beat Blue Jays to clinch series win
Johan Oviedo wanted his second start for the Pittsburgh Pirates this season to go better than his first, so the right-hander had to recalibrate after George Springer started the game with a leadoff home run. That was the only run allowed by Oviedo over five innings against the Toronto Blue...
Pirates relievers Tim Mayza, Justin Lawrence ‘feeling good’ after 1st rehab outings
After four months of dealing with injuries, Pittsburgh Pirates relievers Tim Mayza and Justin Lawrence began rehabilitation assignments Tuesday night with the Low-A Bradenton Marauders. Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk on Wednesday morning called it “really exciting, encouraging news” that Mayza and Lawrence “got through the outing...
Pirates to promote top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler for bulk relief role
It’s almost Bubba time in the ’Burgh. The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting Bubba Chandler, ranked the top right-handed pitching prospect in the minors, a source told TribLive on Wednesday morning. The 22-year-old right-hander is expected to be selected to the active roster before Friday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. “Really...
PNC Park near top of rankings in Yelp’s stadium eats
Pittsburgh’s PNC Park came out on top for local stadium food rankings in Yelp’s new Top 50 Stadiums for Game-Day Eats list. The park also ranked high nationally. Announced Wednesday, PNC Park made No. 2 on the list overall for “providing delicious and creative game day eats.” Acrisure Stadium took...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 19, 2025: Nick Yorke delivers go-ahead RBI single for Indy
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 70-50) scored three in the top of the ninth to beat Syracuse (Mets), 6-5. RF Nick Yorke (.273) went 1 for 3 with the go-ahead RBI single. 2B Tsung-Che Cheng (.219) went 2 for 4 with two doubles and four RBIs. LF Jase Bowen (.273) went 1 for...
‘That’s what they look like’: No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin impresses in Double-A debut
ALTOONA — As first impressions go, Konnor Griffin made an outsized one even before his Double-A debut. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound shortstop/center fielder with a physical presence and five-tool talent carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who knows the major leagues are in his future. “That’s what they look...
Pirates, Mitch Keller start slow, never recover in loss to Toronto
Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller hit Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer with his second pitch of Tuesday’s game at PNC Park and everything went downhill from there. Keller worked 3⅓ innings, allowing seven hits, five earned runs and three walks. The offense tallied eight hits but failed to capitalize in...
Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo return to majors, set to make 2nd start of season
Right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo will make his second start of the season Wednesday afternoon when the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Toronto Blue Jays, Pirates manager Don Kelly said Tuesday afternoon at PNC Park. Oviedo joined the team in Pittsburgh ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against the Blue Jays but has not...
First Call: Tommy Pham chirps back at Toronto catcher on social media; Gabe Davis to visit Bills after Steelers
Tuesday’s “First Call” has some fallout from that Pirates-Blue Jays scrum Monday night. We have an update on Vlad Guerrero’s injury from that game. An ex-Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back is now a Baltimore Raven. And we continue to watch the developments in Cincinnati regarding Trey Hendrickson’s contract situation. Discussing the...
Paul Skenes continues to be his own stopper after rare rough outings
As Paul Skenes began his outing against the American League East-leading Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night, he wasn’t wild about his four-seam fastball. “The first four-seamer I threw was terrible metrically,” Skenes said following the game. “After that, I threw one with a shape that I haven’t thrown at...
Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen marvels at Konnor Griffin making Double-A debut at 19
When Konnor Griffin makes his Double-A debut Tuesday night, the 19-year-old shortstop will become the youngest player ever for the Altoona Curve. Pittsburgh Pirates icon Andrew McCutchen can relate to reaching Double-A as a teenager — he made his Curve debut at 19 years, 10 months and five days on...
Henry Davis delivers at plate, Paul Skenes shines as Pirates pull away to beat Blue Jays
Henry Davis provides most of his support behind the plate, serving as the personal catcher to Paul Skenes on a night when the Pittsburgh Pirates ace fired fastballs that the Toronto Blue Jays couldn’t touch. But Davis delivered in a different way in the seventh inning, when he hit a...
Is Pittsburgh ready for Savannah Bananas? Things to know before a winner comes to PNC Park
There’s a hot ticket this weekend at PNC Park. Nope, it isn’t Bob Nutting bobblehead night. Nor is it Beyoncé to make up for the canceled August 2023 show. It’s not the Pirates, who are on the road for a series at Fenway Park in Boston. While they’re away, it’s...
Pirates have message for starting rotation hopefuls: Be ready to pitch, whatever the role
As Ben Cherington discussed how the Pittsburgh Pirates are going to manage their starting rotation for the remainder of the season, the general manager interrupted his train of thought to explain an exception. “We’re not declaring that one pitcher is in the rotation and one pitcher is not, aside from...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 17, 2025: Edward Florentino’s RBI single in 10th lifts Marauders
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 69-50) allowed a six-run inning and fell to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees), 7-5. CF Matt Fraizer (.308) hit a two-run homer. RF Ji Hwan Bae (.290) doubled and scored. 1B Nick Solak (.354) as 1 for 4 with two RBIs. 3B Alika Williams (.269) was 2 for 4 with a...
Pirates promoting Konnor Griffin, baseball’s No. 1 prospect, to Double-A Altoona
Konnor Griffin has rocketed to the top of prospect rankings by dominating Class A in his first full season of professional baseball. Now, the Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting the 19-year-old shortstop to Double-A Altoona, a source confirmed Sunday to TribLive. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Griffin, selected No. 9 overall in the...
Dansby Swanson’s sacrifice fly in 8th helps Cubs beat Pirates, win 3-game series
With veteran left-hander Andrew Heaney moving to the bullpen and the starting rotation in flux, the Pittsburgh Pirates gave Carmen Mlodzinski a look with his first start since mid-May. Where the right-hander responded by holding the Chicago Cubs to one hit over four innings, Heaney’s debut in relief proved disastrous...
Pirates GM provides updates on returns of Oneil Cruz, Endy Rodriguez, Jared Jones
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz, who was injured in an outfield collision Tuesday at Milwaukee, is getting “better every day” but “not quite ready” to come off the seven-day concussion injured list. General manager Ben Cherington addressed Cruz’s recovery from the concussion Sunday afternoon on his weekly radio show....
Mark Madden: Why would any player trust the Pirates?
Andrew Heaney was abruptly removed from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitching rotation and sent to the bullpen. He had pitched 119 innings, one inning shy of a $50,000 bonus. It reeks of last season, when Rowdy Tellez got released four plate appearances short of a $200,000 bonus. But here’s the difference:...
Pirates farm report for Aug. 16, 2025: Bubba Chandler roughed up in Indy loss
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 69-49) lost 11-5 to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Yankees). RHP Bubba Chandler (4.05) started and went 3⅓ innings, allowing four runs on six hits with five walks and five strikeouts. SS Mike Jarvis finished the game on the mound for Indy, throwing 1⅓ scoreless innings. 3B Alika Williams (.265) went 1...
Full Count: Al Oliver hopes Pirates Hall of Fame induction opens doors to Cooperstown
Al Oliver finally got the Hall call he was waiting for — not the one everyone talks about — and treated it with the same approach he did when a pitch he liked came across the plate. Oliver knows if he’s ever going to be elected to the National Baseball...
