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Ronny Simon Ronny Simon Eyeing late-March return to action
Mon, Feb 23, 2026, 9:28 AM
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Monday that Simon (shoulder) is projected to return to game competition in late March or early April, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: According to Tomczyk, Simon is "doing very well" four-plus months after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder. The 25-year-old has been taking swings in the batting cage without restrictions so far in camp, and he's set to take another step forward next week, when he's scheduled to face live pitching in batting practice. However, because Simon won't be game-ready until late March, he would appear to be firmly out of the mix for a spot on the Pirates' Opening Day roster. |
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Jared Jones Jared Jones Should be game-ready by late May
Mon, Feb 23, 2026, 9:25 AM
Pirates senior director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Monday that Jones (elbow) should be ready for game action when he's eligible to return from the 60-day injured list in late May, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: It's not clear whether that means he will be ready to pitch for the Pirates at that point or ready to pitch on a rehab assignment. Jones underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow last May and is "coming out really good" following a live batting practice session Friday, per Tomczyk. The 24-year-old made 22 starts for the Pirates in 2024, posting a 4.14 ERA and 132:39 K:BB across 121.2 frames. |
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Billy Cook Billy Cook Back to full health for camp
Mon, Feb 23, 2026, 9:14 AM
Cook (hand) made a pair of starts in the Pirates' first three Grapefruit League games over the weekend, going a combined 1-for-5 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
Analysis: Cook finished the past season on the shelf at Triple-A Indianapolis due to a hand injury, but he looks to be fully healthy for spring training. The 27-year-old will be competing for a reserve spot in the Pirates' Opening Day outfield, but the fact that he has two minor-league options could work against him in his efforts to break camp with the big club. |
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Carson Fulmer Carson Fulmer Lands MiLB deal with Bucs
Mon, Feb 23, 2026, 8:15 AM
Fulmer agreed to a minor-league contract with the Pirates on Monday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: The deal includes an invitation to big-league spring training, which will give Fulmer the opportunity to compete for a spot in the Pirates' Opening Day bullpen. The 32-year-old righty didn't pitch after Aug. 23 last season after sustaining a right elbow strain, but with the offseason to recover, he should be at or near full health. Fulmer made 13 appearances out of the Angels bullpen prior to being shut down with the injury, turning in a 5.83 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across 29.1 innings. |
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Jared Jones Jared Jones Set for live batting practice
Fri, Feb 20, 2026, 8:54 AM
Jones (elbow) will throw a live batting practice session Friday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: It'll be the first time Jones has faced hitters since he underwent a UCL reconstruction on his right elbow last May. The young right-hander has already been placed on the 60-day injured list, so he will not be eligible for his season debut until late May. A return by that time would be a best-case scenario, but Jones' rehab has gone well to this point. |
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Mitch Keller Mitch Keller First spring start scheduled
Thu, Feb 19, 2026, 8:16 PM
Keller will make his Grapefruit League debut Sunday against the Rays, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Keller has turned into a consistent starter for the Pirates, though he endured a tough second half of 2025 by posting a 5.56 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 57.1 innings. He's looking to be more consistent in 2026, but he's posted an ERA in the low 4.00s with a WHIP in the mid 1.20s in each of the last three seasons. Keller will remain a stalwart in the rotation in 2026 and could serve as the No. 2 starter behind Paul Skenes. |
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Jared Triolo Jared Triolo Favorite to start at third
Thu, Feb 19, 2026, 7:30 PM
Triolo is expected to start at third base for the Pirates to begin the 2026 season, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
Analysis: Triolo is an elite defender at both second and third base, and is also capable of filling in at shortstop. The Pirates value that versatility, but the team has failed to land any of their targets at third base this offseason. That leaves Triolo as the favorite to start at the hot corner, though his productivity as a hitter could dictate his ability to remain an everyday player. Triolo has a career 87 wRC+ across 1,031 plate appearances, though he posted a 117 wRC+ across 216 plate appearances in the second half of 2025. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Set to play RF
Mon, Feb 16, 2026, 11:26 PM
The Pirates plan to play O'Hearn primarily in right field in 2026, Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: O'Hearn was originally projected to play at either first base or serve as DH, but the addition of Marcell Ozuna will take away many of those at-bats. O'Hearn will seemingly be Pittsburgh's primary right fielder as a result, a position he played 149.0 innings at in 2025. He registered negative-4 runs saved in that span, though left field is the far more difficult corner to cover at PNC Park. |
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Jack Suwinski Jack Suwinski Cleared off 40-man roster
Mon, Feb 16, 2026, 9:28 AM
The Pirates designated Suwinski for assignment Monday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Analysis: Suwinski ended up being the casualty after the Pirates needed to free up a 40-man roster spot for the signing of Marcell Ozuna. After showing promise in his first two big-league seasons with 45 home runs over 250 games, Suwinski managed a weak .169/.271/.297 batting line and 29.9 percent strikeout rate over the subsequent two seasons. The 27-year-old doesn't have minor-league options remaining, but he's shown enough upside that he could draw interest via waivers. |
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Thomas Harrington Thomas Harrington Looks healthy for spring
Sun, Feb 15, 2026, 10:47 AM
Harrington (groin) tossed a bullpen session Sunday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Harrington didn't pitch after Aug. 28 last season after aggravating a right groin injury, but the 24-year-old righty had a healthy offseason and is good to go for spring training. He reached the majors for the first time in 2025 but labored over his three appearances (one start) for the Pirates, giving up 15 earned runs on 18 hits and seven walks across 8.2 innings. Harrington will compete for an Opening Day rotation spot in spring training, but he's likely to begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis. |
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Henry Davis Henry Davis Reworking stance and swing
Sat, Feb 14, 2026, 9:55 PM
Davis studied the biomechanics of his swing this offseason and has made adjustments to both his stance and swing, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
Analysis: Davis has reversed his scouting report as a prospect early in his big-league career, struggling as a hitter but becoming a solid defensive option at catcher. He acknowledged that he lost his rhythm at the plate and was not close to reaching an answer by solely watching film and working in the batting cage, so he worked with hitting coach Matt Hague to change his stance this offseason. Davis is reportedly more upright and no longer rests the bat on his shoulder, with the goal being to improve against high-spin and high-velocity pitches. While the Pirates remain optimistic about Davis' ability to develop as a hitter, the reality remains that he has hit just .181/.262/.294 across 660 plate appearances in the majors. |
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Jhostynxon Garcia Jhostynxon Garcia Impressing with glove
Sat, Feb 14, 2026, 9:32 PM
Garcia has impressed manager Don Kelly during fielding drills early in spring training, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
Analysis: Garcia has been a fairly well-regarded prospect due to his strong potential to hit for power, and he has displayed that ability during live batting practice early on in his tenure with Pittsburgh. However, with a retooled lineup, the Pirates' defensive outlook in the outfield has become a concern, so Garcia's abilities with the glove could be the key factor in his ability to earn playing time this season. He is competing for a roster spot this spring, with Jake Mangum being one of his primary competitors. |
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Nick Gonzales Nick Gonzales Getting work at hot corner
Thu, Feb 12, 2026, 7:52 PM
Gonzales was spotted fielding grounders at third base Thursday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Gonzales was Pittsburgh's primary second baseman when healthy in 2025, though the addition of Brandon Lowe will force him into a new role in 2026. The assumption was that Gonzales would fill in at shortstop until Konnor Griffin makes his big-league debut, though Jared Triolo was instead at shortstop Thursday. This alignment could be fluid throughout spring, as the Pirates have also been rumored to be trying to add a third baseman via trade. However, this could be positive news for Gonzales' long-term outlook if he proves capable of handling the hot corner defensively, given the lack of long-term solutions currently on the roster. |
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Jared Jones Jared Jones Lands on 60-day IL
Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 7:12 PM
The Pirates placed Jones (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Jones sat out all of 2025 while recovering from UCL repair surgery and will now officially miss the first few months of the 2026 campaign as well. The 24-year-old righty threw an encouraging mound session Wednesday to begin spring camp, so the Pirates' decision to place him on the 60-day IL this early likely reflects a desire to take things slow while building him back up. Assuming Jones' rehab continues smoothly, he could rejoin Pittsburgh's rotation sometime in late May or early June. In the meantime, he'll give up his place on the 40-man roster to the recently signed Jose Urquidy. |
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Endy Rodriguez Endy Rodriguez Ready to go for spring training
Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 11:10 AM
Rodriguez (elbow) took live batting practice against Mitch Keller on Wednesday and appears to be fully healthy for spring training, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Rodriguez closed 2025 on the shelf after undergoing ulnar nerve transposition surgery on his right elbow Aug. 12, but he was able to resume a throwing program over the winter. Since he had also been limited to only a handful of rehab games during the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on the same elbow, Rodriguez's long-term future as a catcher is in some doubt, but the Pirates don't appear ready to move him off the position just yet. Henry Davis and Joey Bart remain the frontrunners to open 2026 as the Pirates' top two catchers, but with a strong spring at the plate, Rodriguez could still push his way onto the Opening Day roster as a No. 3 backstop and a backup option at first base. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna Lands $12 million deal with Pirates
Mon, Feb 9, 2026, 8:10 AM
The Pirates signed Ozuna to a one-year, $10.5 million contract Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. The deal includes a $16 million mutual option or $1.5 million buyout for 2027.
Analysis: Ozuna produced a disappointing .232/.355/.400 batting line with 21 home runs over 145 games for Atlanta in 2025. However, a nagging hip injury was likely at least partly to blame, and he is just a year removed from a 39-homer season. Ozuna will slide into the designated hitter role in Pittsburgh, likely pushing Ryan O'Hearn to left field and Jake Mangum to a fourth outfielder role. |
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Jose Urquidy Jose Urquidy Signs with Pirates
Thu, Feb 5, 2026, 12:22 PM
Urquidy signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Pirates on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Urquidy spent the majority of 2025 recovering from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in June 2024. He was able to make two appearances for the Tigers before the end of the regular season, during which he allowed two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three batters in 2.1 innings. If he doesn't capture a spot in the Pirates' rotation during spring training, he could still slot in as a long-relief option. |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Looks locked into rotation
Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 10:45 PM
Ashcraft is expected to start the 2026 season in the rotation, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The Pirates' rotation was crowded to begin the offseason, but they've since traded away both Mike Burrows and Johan Oviedo to bolster their lineup. That should lock Ashcraft into a starting role, particularly so long as Jared Jones (elbow) is sidelined. While there hasn't been any official word from the team, Stumpf also suggests that Ashcraft is likely to set a new career-high in innings after completing 118 frames between Triple-A and the big leagues in 2025. |
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Endy Rodriguez Endy Rodriguez May move off catcher
Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 10:27 PM
Rodriguez's (elbow) may need to play primarily in the outfield or at second base to have the best chance to make the big-league club, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports.
Analysis: Rodriguez was viewed as Pittsburgh's catcher of the future as recently as the 2023 season, but he's since run into significant elbow injuries that have required two surgeries to repair. That history could be enough to convince the Pirates to move him to a new position, and Gorman suggests that both Joey Bart and Henry Davis will enter spring training as the favorites to work behind the plate. Rodriguez has played at first base in the majors, while also playing in the outfield and at second base during the 2022 minor-league season. |
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Mike Clevinger Mike Clevinger Gets NRI from Pittsburgh
Wed, Feb 4, 2026, 2:37 PM
The Pirates signed Clevinger to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: Clevinger opened 2025 in the bullpen with the White Sox, but he was battered for five runs with a 3:8 K:BB in 5.2 innings before returning to a rotation role at Triple-A Charlotte and remaining there for the rest of the season. The Pirates will likely keep the 35-year-old at Triple-A Indianapolis as rotation depth. |
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