| News |
|---|
|
Kyler Fedko Kyler Fedko Inks minor-league deal with Pittsburgh
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 6:56 PM
Fedko (knee) signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Thursday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Fedko was designated for assignment by the Twins on Tuesday, and he has now found his next opportunity with the Pirates. The outfielder underwent surgery in early August to repair a torn ACL, MCL, and LCL in his left knee, and he is going to be sidelined for the rest of the season as a result. |
|
Mason Montgomery Mason Montgomery Picks up eighth save
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 3:27 PM
Montgomery earned the save in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Giants, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Analysis: Montgomery has now converted eight straight save chances while allowing just two runs over his last 26 innings. The southpaw looks to have tightened his grip on the ninth-inning job in Pittsburgh, as he's lowered his ERA to 2.97 with a 1.06 WHIP and 90:22 K:BB across 57.2 innings this season. |
|
Khristian Curtis Khristian Curtis Added to big-league bullpen
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 11:29 AM
The Pirates recalled Curtis from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
Analysis: Curtis hasn't given up a run across eight innings covering two relief outings this season for the Pirates, and he's collected a 4.90 ERA and 108:48 K:BB in 86.1 innings between Double-A Altoona and Indianapolis. The 24-year-old is stretched out to provide length in the Pittsburgh bullpen, if needed. |
|
Kirby Yates Kirby Yates Shelved by shoulder impingement
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 11:26 AM
The Pirates placed Yates on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a right shoulder impingement.
Analysis: Yates hasn't pitched since Saturday, so it could be an injury that's nagged at him for a while. The veteran reliever will be eligible for activation Sept. 15, though it's unclear at this point if he will be ready to go on that date. Khristian Curtis is grabbing Yates' roster spot. |
|
Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Targets return versus Cubs next week
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 11:01 AM
O'Hearn (quadriceps) is aiming to be activated from the 10-day injured list for the Pirates' Sept. 11-13 series against the Cubs, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: O'Hearn has been ramping up baseball activities as he works his way back from a left quad strain, noting Thursday that there's "still a ways to go but I'm trending in the right direction." The 33-year-old has missed the last five weeks of action, so he will likely require a few rehab games before rejoining the Pirates' active roster. |
|
Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Works in long relief Wednesday
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 11:01 AM
Mlodzinski struck out two batters over three perfect innings of relief in Wednesday's 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Giants.
Analysis: Mlodzinski appeared to be in line to start or pitch in bulk relief for Thursday's series finale, but the Pirates instead summoned him from the bullpen Wednesday after starter Bubba Chandler and reliever Brandon Eisert covered the first six innings. The right-hander retired all nine batters he faced as the Pirates clawed back from a two-run deficit to extend the game to extras. |
|
Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Poised to return from IL on Friday
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 9:41 AM
The Pirates are expected to activate Griffin (finger) from the 60-day injured list Friday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: Griffin has rejoined the Pirates in Pittsburgh after going 3-for-11 in three rehab games, and he will return to the active roster Friday on the first day he's eligible. The rookie shortstop has been sidelined for the past two months with a torn sagittal band on his left ring finger. With Griffin taking back over at shortstop this weekend, Jacob Gonzalez could be mixed in some at third base down the stretch for the Pirates. |
|
Evan Sisk Evan Sisk Dispatched to Indianapolis
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 9:29 AM
The Pirates optioned Sisk to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Sisk coughed up three runs while recording only one out in his last appearance Tuesday versus the Giants and has an ugly 1:9 K:BB over his last five outings with the big club. Wilber Dotel will absorb Sisk's spot on the active roster. |
|
Wilber Dotel Wilber Dotel Rejoining Pittsburgh bullpen
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 9:25 AM
The Pirates recalled Dotel from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday, Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The Pirates desperately need a fresh arm to cover innings in the bullpen, and Dotel should be first in line for that assignment. He's collected a 4.71 ERA and 31:13 K:BB over 28.2 frames covering 15 appearances out of the big-league bullpen this season. The Pirates could call on him to cover multiple innings in Thursday's game against the Giants once opener Lake Bachar exits the game. |
|
Esmerlyn Valdez Esmerlyn Valdez Getting breather Thursday
Thu, Sep 3, 2026, 9:21 AM
Valdez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Giants.
Analysis: After going 1-for-9 with six strikeouts in the first two games of the series, Valdez will take a seat in Thursday's finale. Bryan Reynolds has shifted over to right field, and Jake Mangum will cover left field for the Pirates. |
|
Bryan Reynolds Bryan Reynolds Another strong night
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 11:01 PM
Reynolds went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored Wednesday against the Giants.
Analysis: Reynolds produced only five RBI and 14 runs scored across 27 games in August, but he's turned in consecutive strong performances to begin the Pirates' current homestand. In those two contests, he's gone 3-for-10 with five runs scored and a double. Reynolds has scored 94 runs this season, setting a new career high. |
|
Bubba Chandler Bubba Chandler Yields three runs in no-decision
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:48 PM
Chandler allowed three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four across five innings in a no-decision against the Giants on Wednesday.
Analysis: Chandler put the Pirates on the back foot early after yielding a solo homer to Rafael Devers in the first inning. Chandler bounced back to retire the next six batters he faced before giving up another two runs in the fifth, but he received enough run support from his Pirates teammates to avoid the loss. The 23-year-old right-hander has allowed at least three earned runs in two of his last three outings and has a 4.30 ERA and 1.37 WHIP over 136 innings this season, though his 71 walks are third-most in the majors behind Robbie Ray (73) and Joey Cantillo (72). Chandler is tentatively slated to start next week on the road against the White Sox. |
|
Lake Bachar Lake Bachar Opening Thursday
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:00 PM
Bachar will serve as the opening pitcher in Thursday's game against the Giants, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Analysis: Bachar will draw his eighth opening assignment of the season after giving up just two earned runs in 9.2 innings across his last five outings. He tossed 28 pitches in 2.1 frames during his most recent appearance Saturday and will likely have a similar workload Thursday before handing the game over to Carmen Mlodzinski. |
|
Jacob Gonzalez Jacob Gonzalez Exiting starting lineup
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 2:01 PM
Gonzalez is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Giants.
Analysis: It's the first time in the second half that Gonzalez hasn't started at shortstop for the Pirates when the opposition had a righty on the bump. Jared Triolo will handle shortstop Wednesday as the Giants send righty Landen Roupp to the hill. |
|
Nick Gonzales Nick Gonzales Three hits in Tuesday's win
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:42 AM
Gonzales went 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Tuesday's 13-12 win over the Giants.
Analysis: Getting a rare start at DH and hitting cleanup, Gonzales was one of five Pirates with multiple hits on the night. The 27-year-old infielder has been swinging a hot bat all season, and over his last 20 games he's slashing .333/.435/.403 with five doubles, two steals, six runs and eight RBI. Gonzales still doesn't offer much power, however -- his homer drought stands at 33 games, and he has just six long balls in 536 plate appearances on the year. |
|
Mason Montgomery Mason Montgomery Pockets sixth win
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:38 AM
Montgomery (6-3) picked up the win in Tuesday's wild 13-12 victory over the Giants, giving up two hits in a scoreless ninth inning. He didn't walk or strike out a batter.
Analysis: The flame-throwing southpaw hit Turner Hill with a 98.9-mph sinker to lead off the ninth with the score tied 12-12, but Montgomery was able to erase him on a double-play grounder by Rafael Devers -- a timely escape considering the next two batters got hits. Montgomery extended his scoreless streak to 14.1 innings with the performance, a stretch in which he's converted all five of his save chances and picked up three wins over 15 appearances with a 0.63 WHIP and 24:3 K:BB. |
|
Oneil Cruz Oneil Cruz Drives in four runs in wild win
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:33 AM
Cruz went 4-for-6 with a run scored and four RBI in Tuesday's 13-12 win over the Giants.
Analysis: All four knocks were singles, but it was still a very productive night for Cruz, who got three of his RBI on two third-inning singles in a frame that saw the Pirates send 15 batters to the plate. The 27-year-old has racked up nine hits in his last four games, and since returning from a fractured hand in mid-August, Cruz has produced a .311/.392/.578 slash line over 12 contests with three homers, three steals, eight runs and 12 RBI. |
|
Brandon Lowe Brandon Lowe Launches 29th homer
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:29 AM
Lowe went 4-for-6 with a solo home run and two additional runs scored in Tuesday's wild 13-12 win over the Giants.
Analysis: In a contest that saw Pittsburgh score nine runs in the third inning without getting an extra-base hit before walking it off in the ninth on a throwing error, Lowe supplied one of the few actual offensive highlights when he took Cesar Perdomo deep in the seventh inning. The four hits tied Lowe's career high, while the long ball was his 29th of the season, leaving him on the brink of his third career 30-homer campaign. Over his last 10 games, the veteran second baseman has produced a .306/.419/.611 slash line with two doubles, three home runs, four RBI and 10 runs. |
|
Paul Skenes Paul Skenes Stumbles against Giants
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:23 AM
Skenes didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's wild 13-12 win over the Giants, coughing up five runs on eight hits and three walks over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.
Analysis: An anticipated pitchers' duel between Skenes and Logan Webb never materialized, as the San Francisco ace got chased from the game in the third inning, while his Pittsburgh counterpart couldn't escape the fifth. Skenes has been able to complete six frames just once in his last seven starts, limping to a 5.77 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 41:18 K:BB through 34.1 innings over that stretch with an 0-3 record. He'll try to get back in the win column in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home this weekend against the Angels. |
|
Jose Herrera Jose Herrera Catches on with Pirates
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 9:08 AM
The Pirates signed Herrera to a minor-league contract Tuesday.
Analysis: Herrera will supplement the Pirates' organizational catching depth in the final month. He had been at Triple-A Round Rock in the Rangers organization, where he put up a .665 OPS in 40 contests. |
Connect With Us:
