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Bubba Chandler Bubba Chandler Struggles with control in loss
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 9:43 PM
Chandler (1-3) took the loss Wednesday against the Cardinals, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks in five innings. He struck out six.
Analysis: Although Chandler gave up only three hits and tied a season high in punchouts, each knock went for extra bases Wednesday. Control remained an issue as well for the hard-throwing right-hander, who issued multiple walks for the fifth time in six starts this season. Chandler has a disappointing 4.97 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 27:20 K:BB over 29 innings, and he'll be looking for better command in his next scheduled outing in Arizona. |
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Jared Triolo Jared Triolo Shifts rehab to Double-A
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 5:04 PM
Triolo (knee) went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three RBI and an additional run Tuesday in a rehab game with Double-A Altoona.
Analysis: Triolo has moved his minor-league assignment to Altoona this week after appearing in a pair of games last week for Single-A Bradenton. The 28-year-old logged nine innings at third base Tuesday, but the Pirates may want to see him play full games on back-to-back days before bringing him back from the injured list. Once Triolo is activated, he could reclaim the primary role at third base from Nick Gonzales. |
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Henry Davis Henry Davis Exiting starting nine
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 2:19 PM
Davis is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Cardinals.
Analysis: Davis will get a day off after starting at catcher in the first two games of the series. Joey Bart will be behind the dish and bat ninth for the Pirates. |
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Ryan Harbin Ryan Harbin Removed from 40-man roster
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 1:51 PM
The Pirates designated Harbin (lat) for assignment Wednesday.
Analysis: The transaction frees a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Chris Devenski, who was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis. Harbin was placed on Indianapolis' 60-day injured list earlier this month due to a right lat strain and it's unclear when he might be ready to pitch again. The injury could affect his appeal on waivers. |
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Hunter Barco Hunter Barco Sent back to minors
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 1:29 PM
The Pirates optioned Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Analysis: Barco threw 84 pitches while allowing five runs over 4.2 innings in an extended relief outing in Tuesday's loss to the Cardinals. The left-hander will likely rejoin the rotation at Indianapolis. |
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Chris Devenski Chris Devenski Added to roster
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 1:22 PM
The Pirates selected Devenski's contract from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Analysis: Devenski earned a call-up after posting a 2.16 ERA and 14:5 K:BB over 16.2 frames with Indianapolis. The veteran right-hander will provide some length in the Pittsburgh bullpen. |
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Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Belts second major-league homer
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 10:32 PM
Griffin went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during the Pirates' 11-7 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Analysis: The Pirates were down 11-6 heading into the bottom of the ninth, but Griffin made the score a little bit more respectable with a solo homer to right-center field. He is up to two homers on the season, both of which have come over his last five games. The 20-year-old rookie is slasing .226/.283/.345 with six steals, 13 RBI and nine runs scored over 92 plate appearances this season. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Smacks two-run homer
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 10:29 PM
O'Hearn went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, an RBI single and an additional run scored during Pittsburgh's 11-7 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday.
Analysis: O'Hearn reduced the Pirates' deficit to 6-3 in the sixth inning after smacking a two-run homer off Kyle Leahy, and the former added another RBI on a single in the eighth. It was O'Hearn's fifth multi-RBI game of the season and his most in a game since April 5 against the Orioles (five). He is slashing .316/.405/.510 with one steal, five home runs and 19 RBI over 116 plate appearances this season, and O'Hearn's on-base percentage is third-best in the National League behind Xavier Edwards (.437) and Ivan Herrera (.414). |
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Oneil Cruz Oneil Cruz Homers in return
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 10:25 PM
Cruz went 2-for-5 with a solo home run during the Pirates' 11-7 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Analysis: Cruz missed Monday's series opener due to an illness but was back in the lineup for Tuesday's contest, when he put the Pirates on the board with a solo homer off Kyle Leahy in the sixth inning. Cruz is in the midst of a breakout season and sits in the top-5 in the National League in home runs (nine), RBI (25) and stolen bases (10), though his 45 strikeouts are second-most in the NL behind James Wood (46). |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Yields six runs in loss
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 9:51 PM
Ashcraft (1-2) took the loss against the Cardinals on Tuesday, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks while striking out seven across 4.1 innings.
Analysis: Ashcraft entered Tuesday's game having given up two earned runs or less in each of his last five starts, but it was a different story against St. Louis. He gave up three runs through the first three frames (including solo homers from Victor Scott and Nolan Gorman) before yielding another three runs in the fifth. Tuesday's performance ballooned Ashcraft's numbers up to a 3.71 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over 34 innings, along with a 39:12 K:BB. He'll look to bounce back in his next start, tentatively slated for this weekend at home against the Reds. |
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Wilber Dotel Wilber Dotel Sent to Triple-A
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 5:24 PM
The Pirates optioned Dotel to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Dotel threw 44 pitches in long relief Monday against the Cardinals, so the Pirates are bringing in a fresh arm in Hunter Barco as the corresponding move. Dotel has thrown 6.2 innings for Pittsburgh this season, turning in a 1.35 ERA and 4:3 K:BB. He'll likely be back with the big club at some point. |
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Hunter Barco Hunter Barco Recalled from Triple-A
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 5:21 PM
The Pirates recalled Barco from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: In a corresponding move, the Pirates optioned Wilber Dotel to Triple-A Indianapolis. Barco made Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster this season and appeared in four games out of the bullpen, registering a 6.43 ERA, 2.14 WHIP and 5:7 K:BB across seven innings before he was sent down two weeks ago. |
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Oneil Cruz Oneil Cruz Back in action Tuesday
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 4:23 PM
Cruz (illness) is starting in center field and batting leadoff Tuesday against the Cardinals.
Analysis: The 27-year-old was scratched from the lineup for Monday's series opener due to an illness but is good to go for Tuesday's contest. Cruz has gone 0-for-10 with five strikeouts in his past two games but overall has been productive during the first month of the campaign with eight home runs, 10 steals, 24 RBI, 19 runs and an .838 OPS in 27 games. |
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Cam Sanders Cam Sanders Optioned to Triple-A
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 2:30 PM
The Pirates optioned Sanders to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: He's clearing out to make room on the roster for Braxton Ashcraft (personal), who will start Tuesday's game versus the Cardinals. Sanders logged a pair of scoreless appearances in his most recent stint with the Pirates. |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Reinstated ahead of Tuesday's start
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 2:28 PM
The Pirates activated Ashcraft from the bereavement list Tuesday, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Ashcraft will start Tuesday's contest at home against the Cardinals after being away from the club the last few days. The right-hander is off to a dynamite start this season, having collected a 2.43 ERA and 32:9 K:BB over his first 29.2 innings. |
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Justin Lawrence Justin Lawrence Scoreless inning in loss
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 1:48 PM
Lawrence tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout Monday in the 4-2 loss to the Cardinals.
Analysis: Lawrence was limited to just 17 appearances last season due to an elbow injury, but Monday's outing marked his 14th already in 2026. The sinker-sweeper pitcher has missed bats consistently, ringing up 16 strikeouts over his first 14 frames. Lawrence is pitching primarily in low-leverage situations for the time being, but that could change if he continues to consistently shut batters down (zero runs allowed in last six appearances). |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Expected back for Tuesday's start
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 11:33 AM
Ashcraft (personal) is expected to be activated from the bereavement list in time to start Tuesday's game versus the Cardinals, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Analysis: Ashcraft was placed on the bereavement list Saturday, but he will not have to miss a start, only getting his turn pushed back one day. The young right-hander is sitting on a 2.43 ERA and 32:9 K:BB over his first 29.2 innings this season and is a must-start against a lackluster Cardinals lineup. |
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Jared Jones Jared Jones Beginning rehab assignment
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 9:39 AM
Pirates GM Ben Cherington said that Jones (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday with Single-A Bradenton, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The 24-year-old has been throwing to live batters for a while and has now been cleared to pitch in games for the first time since undergoing an internal brace procedure to repair the UCL in his right elbow last May. Jones' rehab assignment will be a lengthy one, but he won't be eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list until late May anyway, so there's no rush for him to build up his workload. |
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Dennis Santana Dennis Santana Collapses in loss, blown save
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 11:01 PM
Santana (2-2) was charged with the loss and a blown save Monday against the Cardinals, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning.
Analysis: Brought on to protect a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning, Santana served up a pair of home runs Monday en route to coughing up a season-high four runs. The right-hander has converted just two of his four save chances so far, but he still has a quality 3.29 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 13.2 innings in spite of Monday's meltdown. That said, the door is open for Gregory Soto to claim more ninth-inning work in Pittsburgh's closer committee. |
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Wilber Dotel Wilber Dotel Impressive in long relief
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 10:54 PM
Dotel took a no-decision Monday against the Cardinals, throwing four clean innings of relief. He struck out three.
Analysis: The absence of Braxton Garrett (personal) forced the Pirates into a bullpen game Monday, and Dotel filled in admirably as a bulk reliever. The right-hander flooded the zone for 32 strikes among his 44 pitches, picking up his first hold of the year in the process. Through 6.1 frames in 2026, Dotel sports a 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 4:3 K:BB. |
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