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Paul Skenes Paul Skenes Rare dud in third loss
Sun, May 17, 2026, 5:37 PM
Skenes (6-3) took the loss Sunday against the Phillies, allowing five runs on six hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out seven.
Analysis: After twirling eight innings of scoreless ball in back-to-back starts, Skenes stumbled in a tough spot against the red-hot Phillies on Sunday. Three of his hits allowed went for extra bases, and the All-Star right-hander gave up more than three runs for the first time since his disastrous Opening Day start against the Mets. Despite Sunday's hiccup, Skenes still holds a stellar 2.62 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 63:8 K:BB over 55 innings ahead of his next scheduled outing in Toronto. |
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Nick Yorke Nick Yorke Headed back to Triple-A
Sun, May 17, 2026, 4:14 PM
Yorke was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis after Sunday's 6-0 loss to the Phillies, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Yorke will head back to Triple-A after going 0-for-8 with two strikeouts while appearing in four contests following his call-up from Indianapolis on May 8. A corresponding move is expected to be announced ahead of the Pirates' series opener in St. Louis on Tuesday. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Facing multi-week absence
Sun, May 17, 2026, 1:58 PM
Pirates GM Ben Cherington said Sunday that O'Hearn's quadriceps strain is "moderate", and it will likely sideline him for around four weeks, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Analysis: The 32-year-old sustained the injury during Saturday's contest and is poised to be sidelined into mid-June. It's a tough break for O'Hearn, who has been enjoying a strong season as an everyday player with seven homers, 29 RBI, 27 runs and a .289/.368/.459 slash line through 44 games. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna Not in Sunday's lineup
Sun, May 17, 2026, 11:20 AM
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: Ozuna started the previous eight games but went 5-for-30 (.167) with two homers and 13 strikeouts during that stretch. Oneil Cruz will rest his legs as the designated hitter Sunday while Jake Mangum (hamstring) mans center field in his return from the IL. |
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Jake Mangum Jake Mangum Back from injured list
Sun, May 17, 2026, 9:43 AM
The Pirates reinstated Mangum (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Sunday.
Analysis: The 30-year-old landed on the shelf in early May due to a strained left hamstring, but he's rejoining the Pirates on Sunday after a brief stint on the shelf. Mangum has a .260/.333/.288 slash line with no homers, five steals, three RBI and 13 runs in his first 30 games of the season, and he could take over as Pittsburgh's primary right fielder with Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) going to the IL. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Out with quad strain
Sun, May 17, 2026, 9:38 AM
The Pirates placed O'Hearn on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a right quadriceps strain.
Analysis: O'Hearn exited Saturday's contest due to right quadriceps discomfort and will now be sidelined until at least the middle of next week after being diagnosed with a strain. The severity of the injury has yet to be disclosed, so it's unclear how long the 32-year-old will actually be sidelined. Jake Mangum (hamstring) was activated from the IL in a corresponding move and figures to pick up the bulk of the available playing time in the outfield while O'Hearn is out. |
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Bubba Chandler Bubba Chandler Continues piling up free passes
Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:06 PM
Chandler (1-5) took the loss Saturday against the Phillies, allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits and four walks in three innings. He struck out two.
Analysis: Chandler hasn't been able to sharpen his control consistently in 2026, having now issued at least three free passes in six of his first nine starts of the season. Saturday was the hard-throwing right-hander's shortest outing of the year, and he also fanned a season-low two. Although Chandler has held his opponents to a .213 batting average, he's set to bring a 5.14 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and an alarming 36:31 K:BB over 42 innings into a matchup with the Blue Jays. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Dealing with quad injury
Sat, May 16, 2026, 4:57 PM
O'Hearn was removed from Saturday's game against the Phillies due to right quad discomfort.
Analysis: O'Hearn went 0-for-1 at the plate Saturday before his quad forced him out of the game in the fourth inning. More will be known regarding the severity of his injury after the Pirates' medical staff completes its evaluation, but any missed time for the 32-year-old would likely result in extra starts in the outfield for Billy Cook or Nick Yorke. |
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Shipped to Pirates
Sat, May 16, 2026, 12:20 PM
The Athletics traded Robinson to the Pirates on Saturday in exchange for Alika Williams.
Analysis: Robinson reached Double-A in 2025 but was sent back to High-A at the start of the 2026 campaign and has posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.37 WHIP alongside a 19:13 K:BB across 27.1 innings. The 22-year-old righty will likely remain at High-A to begin his tenure in the Pirates organization and aim to return to Double-A by the end of the season. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna Tallies fifth homer
Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:24 AM
Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Friday against the Phillies.
Analysis: Ozuna took Aaron Nola deep in the fifth inning to record his fifth home run of the season. While his season-long numbers are still lagging behind expectations, Ozuna has hit .244 with three homers, eight RBI and eight runs scored across 12 games since the start of May. |
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Dennis Santana Dennis Santana Ugly showing in extra-inning loss
Sat, May 16, 2026, 9:21 AM
Santana (2-3) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits without recording an out to take the loss Friday against the Phillies.
Analysis: Santana worked the 10th inning, following Gregory Soto, who blew a three-run lead one frame prior. Santana allowed a leadoff double and three consecutive singles before being pulled, and he's now allowed multiple earned runs in three of his last seven appearances. He also hasn't logged a save since April 15 and isn't likely to see many chances in the near future given his current form. |
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Gregory Soto Gregory Soto Blows second save
Sat, May 16, 2026, 8:36 AM
Soto was charged with his second blown save of the season Friday in an 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks in the ninth inning.
Analysis: With the Pirates holding an 8-5 lead, the southpaw was called in to get them across the finish line, but a Konnor Griffin error put the first batter aboard and things unraveled from there. It was the first time since April 10 that Soto has issued multiple walks, but he's been scored upon in back-to-back appearances, inflating his ERA on the season from 1.33 to 2.42 to go along with a 0.85 WHIP and 26:9 K:BB through 22.1 innings. His job security as the team's primary closing option likely didn't slip, however, as Dennis Santana failed to record an out while taking the loss in the 10th. |
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Brandon Lowe Brandon Lowe Two homers not enough Friday
Sat, May 16, 2026, 8:31 AM
Lowe went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI in Friday's 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.
Analysis: The second baseman launched a two-run homer off Aaron Nola in the third inning before adding a solo shot off Tim Mayza in the fifth, but Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies' offense took control from there. It was Lowe's third multi-homer game of the season, and through his first 39 contests with Pittsburgh he's slashing .252/.352/.563 with 12 long balls, 26 runs and 31 RBI. |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Settles for no-decision Friday
Sat, May 16, 2026, 8:28 AM
Ashcraft didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, giving up four runs on seven hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.
Analysis: The 26-year-old righty had a quality start through six innings with the Pirates holding a 6-3 lead, but manager Don Kelly tried to coax one more frame out of Ashcraft. He got two outs after a leadoff single, but then got lifted after 100 pitches (76 strikes) and had to watch Mason Montgomery serve up a two-run shot to Kyle Schwarber, with the rest of the bullpen ultimately costing Ashcraft his third win of the year. Ashcraft will take a 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 56:14 K:BB through 55.1 innings into his next start, which is set to come on the road next week in St. Louis. |
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Henry Davis Henry Davis Absent from lineup again Friday
Fri, May 15, 2026, 2:33 PM
Davis is not in the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Phillies.
Analysis: Davis had appeared set for nearly every day catching reps after Joey Bart (foot) went on the injured list earlier this week, but Endy Rodriguez is drawing a second start in a row behind the dish Friday. The two catchers could split starts fairly evenly while Bart is out unless someone distinguishes themselves. |
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Nick Gonzales Nick Gonzales Taking seat Friday
Fri, May 15, 2026, 2:29 PM
Gonzales is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: After starting 21 games in a 22-game stretch, Gonzales has now been on the bench for two straight for the first time since mid-April. It will be Jared Triolo handling the hot corner again for the Pirates. |
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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Earns win in bulk role
Thu, May 14, 2026, 2:46 PM
Mlodzinski (3-3) earned the win Thursday over the Rockies, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out two.
Analysis: After Mason Montgomery and Evan Sisk combined to blank Colorado through two innings, Mlodzinski entered in the third with the Pirates already ahead 3-0. The 27-year-old Mlodzinski has had an up-and-down year overall, though he has flashed some potential -- Thursday's win was his second in his last three outings. The right-hander's ERA now sits at 4.40 with a 1.44 WHIP and 43:16 K:BB across 45 innings this season. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Homers again Thursday
Thu, May 14, 2026, 2:33 PM
O'Hearn went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Rockies.
Analysis: O'Hearn extended Pittsburgh's lead to 3-0 in the first inning with his two-run shot off Chase Dollander, his seventh homer this year. The veteran O'Hearn went 5-for-8 with a pair of home runs in his last two games after going just 9-for-47 (.191) with no homers and one extra-base hit in his previous 12 contests. Overall, O'Hearn's slashing .299/.375/.474 with 29 RBI and 26 runs scored across 176 plate appearances this season. |
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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Bulk-relief outing on tap
Thu, May 14, 2026, 9:57 AM
Mlodzinski is slated to pitch in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Mason Montgomery in Thursday's game against the Rockies in Pittsburgh, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Mlodzinski will work behind an opener for the second time this season, with the right-hander having previously followed Montgomery in an April 15 game against the Nationals. The arrangement didn't end up suppressing Mlodzinski's workload; in fact, the 27-year-old covered six innings in that game against Washington, matching his longest appearance of the season. Montgomery is likely to work just an inning or two before handing the ball over to Mlodzinski, who takes a 4.50 ERA and 1.45 WHIP into Thursday's contest. |
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Mason Montgomery Mason Montgomery Opening Thursday
Wed, May 13, 2026, 10:14 PM
Montgomery will work as the opening pitcher during Thursday's game against the Rockies, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: It will be the third time this season that Montgomery has served as an opener after delivering shutout innings in each of his first two assignments. The 25-year-old southpaw has thrown 11 consecutive shutout innings, allowing just five hits and four walks while striking out 13 batters during that stretch. Carmen Mlodzinski is expected to follow Montgomery out of the bullpen. |
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