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Enmanuel Valdez Enmanuel Valdez Stays in organization
Thu, Apr 9, 2026, 8:38 AM
The Pirates outrighted Valdez to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Analysis: He's no longer on the 40-man roster, but Valdez will remain in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. The 27-year-old is a career .230/.288/.392 hitter over parts of three major-league seasons. |
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Nick Yorke Nick Yorke On base four times Wednesday
Wed, Apr 8, 2026, 4:26 PM
Yorke went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Wednesday's 8-2 loss to the Padres.
Analysis: Getting the start at third base before shifting across the diamond to first in the eighth inning, Yorke accounted for half of the Pirates' hits on the afternoon, including a leadoff single in the seventh that left his bat at 109.8 mph. The 24-year-old worked hard this offseason to improve the quality of his contact, both by getting physically stronger and by tweaking his swing mechanics, and so far it seems to be paying off. Yorke has begun 2026 by batting .381 (8-for-21) with two doubles, three runs, two RBI and more walks (five) than strikeouts (four). He's currently splitting starts at the hot corner with Nick Gonzales while Jared Triolo (knee) is on the shelf, but Yorke could push for a bigger share of the playing time if he keeps scalding the ball. |
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Mitch Keller Mitch Keller Blanks Friars in no-decision
Wed, Apr 8, 2026, 4:18 PM
Keller didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 8-2 loss to the Padres, allowing three hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out four.
Analysis: The veteran right-hander was masterful over 75 pitches (49 strikes), but manager Don Kelly elected to lift Keller to begin the seventh inning in a scoreless tie and watched his bullpen immediately implode. Keller has begun the season with three straight quality starts but has won only one of them, delivering a 1.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 11:5 K:BB through 18 innings. He'll look for more run support in his next trip to the mound, which is set to come at home early next week against the Nationals. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna On bench again Wednesday
Wed, Apr 8, 2026, 9:53 AM
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: For the third time in four games, Ozuna will hit the bench after getting off to a porous start to the season. Over 35 plate appearances, the veteran slugger is slashing just .065/.171/.065. Ozuna is still walking at a 11.4 percent clip, and his strikeout rate sits at a manageable 22.9 percent, so he'll have some hope for a turnaround if he can benefit from some better luck on balls in play. |
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Henry Davis Henry Davis Receiving breather Wednesday
Wed, Apr 8, 2026, 9:45 AM
Davis is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: After starting behind the plate in each of the Pirates' last three games, Davis will get a breather as Pittsburgh concludes its homestand with a day game after a night game. Joey Bart will catch for starting pitcher Mitch Keller on Wednesday. |
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Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Getting day off Wednesday
Wed, Apr 8, 2026, 9:44 AM
Griffin is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Padres.
Analysis: The Pirates announced the signing of Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract earlier in the day, but they'll give him a day off in Wednesday's rubber match with the Padres. Nick Gonzales will cover shortstop and bat sixth for Pittsburgh. |
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Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Agrees to $140M deal with Bucs
Wed, Apr 8, 2026, 8:15 AM
Griffin signed a nine-year, $140 million contract extension with the Pirates on Wednesday.
Analysis: Per Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the 19-year-old Griffin's deal is the richest in franchise history and includes a $12 million signing bonus and an additional $10 million in salary escalators. The first teenage position player to debut in the majors since Juan Soto achieved the feat in 2018 with the Nationals, Griffin has gone 3-for-17 (.176 average) with two walks and four strikeouts through his first five games with Pittsburgh. With the long-term deal now finalized, Griffin will be under club control through the 2034 season. |
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Paul Skenes Paul Skenes Fans six to earn second win
Tue, Apr 7, 2026, 11:24 PM
Skenes (2-1) picked up the win Tuesday against the Padres, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with six strikeouts across 6.1 innings.
Analysis: After his nightmare start on Opening Day, Skenes has picked up the win in back-to-back starts against the Reds and Padres, lowering his ERA to 5.25 to go with a 12:6 K:BB across 12 innings. Skenes' only blemish Tuesday was a solo home run allowed to Xander Bogaerts with one out in the seventh inning. That marked the end of the night for Skenes. His next start is lined up for Monday at home against the Nationals. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna On bench again Tuesday
Tue, Apr 7, 2026, 4:16 PM
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: Ozuna went 0-for-4 in Monday's series opener, dropping his season slash line down to .065/.171/.065 through 35 plate appearances. Brandon Lowe is resting his legs as the designated hitter Tuesday, opening up second base for Nick Gonzales. |
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Isaac Mattson Isaac Mattson Pitches scoreless inning in loss
Tue, Apr 7, 2026, 2:51 PM
Mattson allowed two hits while striking out two in one inning on Monday in a 5-0 loss to the Padres.
Analysis: Mattson was a revelation out of the bullpen for the Pirates last season posting a 2.45 ERA in 44 appearances after only making seven appearances before being called up in May. The right-hander has had a heavy workload so far pitching in six out of Pittsburgh's 10 games posting a 3.00 ERA and seven strikeouts. The Pirates bullpen does not have many proven right-handers other than Dennis Santana, which means Mattson could continue appearing in many games this season. |
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Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Drops to eighth in order
Mon, Apr 6, 2026, 4:01 PM
Griffin will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Monday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: After smacking an RBI double Friday in his first at-bat in the majors, Griffin proceeded to go 0-for-8 with two walks and a hit by pitch in his subsequent 11 plate appearances to close out the Pirates' weekend series versus the Orioles. The 19-year-old phenom isn't in any danger of losing the everyday shortstop job, but the Pirates will drop him a couple spots in the order Monday with hope of taking some pressure off of him. |
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Jake Mangum Jake Mangum Back on bench Monday
Mon, Apr 6, 2026, 3:57 PM
Mangum is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Padres.
Analysis: The switch-hitting Mangum has cracked the starting nine in five of the Pirates' first 10 games, with three of those starts coming against left-handed pitching. Mangum should remain a regular presence in the lineup versus southpaws moving forward, but his opportunities to play against righties will likely be more sporadic while all of Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, Ryan O'Hearn and Marcell Ozuna are available to cover the outfield and designated-hitter spots. |
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Spencer Horwitz Spencer Horwitz On base three times
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 7:50 PM
Horwitz went 1-for-2 with a single, two walks and a run scored Sunday against the Orioles.
Analysis: Horwitz started his fourth straight game at first base, and he's reached base in each of those contests. He's been particularly patient, with his two free passes Sunday bringing his walk rate to 14.3 percent. Despite the value he has brought to Pittsburgh's lineup, he has only two runs and two RBI with only a .174 batting average across 28 plate appearances. |
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Oneil Cruz Oneil Cruz Tallies fourth homer
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 7:44 PM
Cruz went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, three RBI and two runs scored Sunday against the Orioles.
Analysis: Cruz delivered his third three-RBI performance in his last five games. He kicked off the effort with an infield single in the second inning before popping a two-run home run four frames later. More impressive was that this was Cruz's third long ball and sixth hit against a lefty this season, which comes directly after logging only 11 knocks across 125 plate appearances against southpaws in 2025. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Smacks third homer
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 6:59 PM
O'Hearn went 2-for-5 with a double, a two-run home run and four RBI in Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Analysis: O'Hearn kicked off the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning, his third long ball of the season. He added a two-RBI double one frame later, his third multi-RBI effort of the campaign. O'Hearn has had a strong start to the season by collecting at least one hit in seven of eight games, and he's even started two of three contests against lefties. |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Fans career-high eight in win
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 4:04 PM
Ashcraft (1-1) earned the win Sunday against the Orioles, allowing one run on four hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out eight.
Analysis: Ashcraft built off an impressive 2026 debut, when he gave up only two runs in six innings versus the Reds. The eight punchouts were a career high for the right-hander, who tossed 54 of his 87 pitches for strikes Sunday. Ashcraft surrendered no walks after walking three his first time out, and he'll be looking to cross the 90-pitch marker for the first time this year in a tough spot versus the Cubs in Chicago for his next scheduled outing. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna Sitting amid slump
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 12:12 PM
Ozuna is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles
Analysis: Ozuna went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts in Saturday's contest to break a four-game hitless streak, but he'll take a seat for Sunday's series finale versus Baltimore. Bryan Reynolds will rest his legs as the designated hitter, opening up a spot in the outfield for Jake Mangum. |
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Billy Cook Billy Cook Back in big leagues
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 11:01 AM
The Pirates recalled Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: The 27-year-old was sent to Indianapolis on Thursday but will quickly return to the majors with Jared Triolo (knee) landing on the injured list. Cook made the Pirates' Opening Day roster but registered just six plate appearances during the first week of the season, and he's unlikely to have a significant role while Pittsburgh's outfield is in good health. |
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Jared Triolo Jared Triolo Out with knee injury
Sun, Apr 5, 2026, 10:29 AM
The Pirates placed Triolo on the 10-day injured list Sunday, retroactive to April 4, due to a patellar tendon injury in his right knee, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: The 28-year-old apparently suffered the injury during Friday's contest and was held out of the lineup Saturday. Pirates GM Ben Cherington indicated Sunday the injury is "more of a weeks-long thing," per Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com, so it appears Triolo won't be back from the injured list in the near future. Nick Gonzales and Nick Yorke should fill in at third base while Triolo is sidelined. |
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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Labors late in no-decision
Sat, Apr 4, 2026, 10:03 PM
Mlodzinski did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over 4.2 innings in a 3-2 victory over Baltimore. He struck out five.
Analysis: The right-hander started off strong with just two baserunners allowed through three scoreless frames, but he gave up two runs on four hits and a walk in the fourth inning and was unable to make it through the fifth. Mlodzinski's 4.00 ERA and 13 strikeouts through his first two starts of the season are decent, but his 1.56 WHIP and nine combined innings are less encouraging. A road matchup with the Cubs likely awaits next weekend. |
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