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Nick Gonzales Nick Gonzales Blasts first homer
Sun, May 31, 2026, 11:21 PM
Gonzales went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and two runs scored Sunday against the Twins.
Analysis: Gonzales has hit for a relatively empty .303 batting average across 216 plate appearances this season, though he managed to end his home run drought with a two-run homer in the third inning. He still has only a .061 ISO on the campaign, though he has hit either fourth or fifth in Pittsburgh's order in seven of his last eight starts. Gonzales' playing time should also be solidified in the short term with Konnor Griffin (elbow) sidelined. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Homers in return
Sun, May 31, 2026, 11:11 PM
O'Hearn went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Sunday against the Twins.
Analysis: O'Hearn was activated from the injured list Sunday after missing almost exactly two weeks with an oblique injury. He homered in his first plate appearance, tallying his eighth long ball of the season. O'Hearn batted cleanup in his return and should continue to occupy a key spot in the Pirates' lineup. |
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Chris Devenski Chris Devenski Close to mound work
Sun, May 31, 2026, 8:27 PM
Devenski (illness) is expected to resume throwing bullpen sessions during the upcoming week, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Devenski was cleared to resume all baseball activities May 13, but he appears to have been limited to throwing off flat ground since that date. While the right-hander looks poised to take the next step in throwing program by getting back on a mound, he's still likely at least a couple weeks away from being ready for action with the Pirates. Before landing on the injured list May 7 due to an undisclosed illness, Devenski surrendered two earned runs on five hits over 2.1 innings in three appearances out of the Pittsburgh bullpen. |
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Joe La Sorsa Joe La Sorsa Exercising upward mobility clause
Sun, May 31, 2026, 7:46 PM
La Sorsa is expected to trigger his upward mobility clause Monday, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports.
Analysis: La Sorsa signed a minor-league contract with the Pirates before the 2026 campaign and already once attempted to find another suitor by exercising his upward mobility clause, ultimately sticking around after he went unclaimed on waivers in late March. The southpaw has posted a 3.60 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 21 strikeouts over 25 innings in 21 appearances, including two starts, with Triple-A Indianapolis this season. It's unclear if he'll garner much interest on the open market. |
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Cam Sanders Cam Sanders Headed back to Triple-A
Sun, May 31, 2026, 5:14 PM
Sanders was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis after Sunday's 9-3 win over the Twins.
Analysis: Sanders will return to Indianapolis after being called up before Sunday's contest, ultimately tossing a scoreless seventh inning while striking out a batter in Pittsburgh's victory. The 29-year-old will now have to wait for his next chance with the major-league roster down the road this season. |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Keeps rolling in fifth win
Sun, May 31, 2026, 4:29 PM
Ashcraft (5-2) earned the win Sunday over Minnesota, allowing two runs on five hits over six innings. He struck out 11.
Analysis: Ashcraft was dominant Sunday, blanking the Twins through his first five innings, ultimately allowing two runs on a Brooks Lee homer in the sixth, while setting a season high with 11 strikeouts without issuing a walk. Ashcraft has won three straight while turning in quality starts in five of his last six outings -- he's posted a 1.99 ERA with a stellar 42:5 K:BB across 40.2 innings in that span. Overall, Ashcraft's ERA is down to 2.77 on the year with a 1.03 WHIP and 81 strikeouts across 12 starts (74.2 innings). Ashcraft currently lines up for a tough road matchup with Atlanta his next time out. |
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Cam Sanders Cam Sanders Back in big leagues
Sun, May 31, 2026, 12:52 PM
The Pirates recalled Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday.
Analysis: The right-hander will rejoin the Pirates for Sunday's series finale versus the Twins as Carmen Mlodzinski (personal) heads to the restricted list in a corresponding move. Sanders has made five appearances for Pittsburgh this season and has given up six earned runs with a 7:5 K:BB across five innings. |
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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Lands on restricted list
Sun, May 31, 2026, 12:50 PM
The Pirates placed Mlodzinksi on the restricted list Sunday.
Analysis: The official reasoning for the move hasn't been disclosed, but it's unlikely to be a coincidence that it comes just a few days after Mlodzinski was bumped from the starting rotation to the bullpen. The right-hander has a 3.76 ERA across 55 innings this season, though his 1.42 WHIP and 46:20 K:BB paint a less encouraging picture of his performance. |
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Jared Triolo Jared Triolo Taking over for injured Griffin
Sun, May 31, 2026, 12:38 PM
Triolo will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Twins.
Analysis: Triolo had already covered shortstop in the Pirates' last three games, and he'll now be in line for a longer leash at the position after Pittsburgh moved Konnor Griffin (forearm) to the injured list Sunday. Per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that he anticipated a short-term stint on the shelf for Griffin, so Triolo could end up shifting back into a utility infield role as soon as the second week of June. After a strong finish to the 2025 campaign, Triolo hasn't carried over that success to 2026, slashing just .231/.268/.256 with no home runs, two steals, four runs and four RBI across 83 plate appearances. |
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Endy Rodriguez Endy Rodriguez Heading to bench Sunday
Sun, May 31, 2026, 12:34 PM
Rodriguez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
Analysis: Rodriguez will hit the bench Sunday after he had started in three of the past four games while going 1-for-7 with five walks, a stolen base and two runs. Though Henry Davis will handle catching duties in the series finale, Rodriguez may have inched ahead of him on the depth chart. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Activated from injured list
Sun, May 31, 2026, 11:55 AM
The Pirates reinstated O'Hearn (quadriceps) from the 10-day injured list Sunday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: O'Hearn has been on the shelf the past couple weeks due to a quad strain but is ready to rejoin Pittsburgh's active roster without the need of a minor-league rehab assignment. The 32-year-old had a strong start to the campaign prior to the injury with seven homers, 29 RBI, 27 runs and an .827 OPS through 44 contests. Konnor Griffin (forearm) was moved to the IL in a corresponding move. |
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Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Shelved with strained elbow
Sun, May 31, 2026, 11:51 AM
The Pirates placed Griffin on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a flexor strain in his right elbow.
Analysis: It's unclear exactly how long the 20-year-old has been dealing with the injury, but general manager Ben Cherington indicated that Griffin will likely be in line for a "short-term stay" on the IL, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Ryan O'Hearn (quadriceps) was reinstated from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move. |
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Bryan Reynolds Bryan Reynolds Keeps rolling in win
Sat, May 30, 2026, 10:44 PM
Reynolds went 2-for-2 with two walks, one RBI and one run scored in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Twins.
Analysis: Reynolds was a thorn in the Twins' side all game, reaching base four times and driving in a run on what proved to be the game-winning sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. The 31-year-old is currently riding an eight-game hitting streak that includes five multi-hit efforts, six extra-base hits, six RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base. For the year, he's slashing .280/.403/.444 with six homers, 38 RBI, 37 runs scored and four steals across 253 plate appearances. |
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Spencer Horwitz Spencer Horwitz Goes deep in win
Sat, May 30, 2026, 10:37 PM
Horwitz went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Twins.
Analysis: Horwitz made an early impact, leading off the game with a homer before adding a single and scoring again in the second. It continued a magnificent May for the 28-year-old, who enters the final day of the month hitting .333 with 10 extra-base hits and 16 RBI through 25 games. On the season, he's slashing .292/.394/.470 with seven long balls, 26 RBI, 23 runs scored and one steal across 203 plate appearances. |
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Jake Mangum Jake Mangum Swats first homer in win
Sat, May 30, 2026, 10:31 PM
Mangum went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Twins.
Analysis: Mangum launched his first homer of the season in the second inning before giving the Pirates an 8-7 lead on an RBI single in the fifth. It was the 30-year-old's first three-hit effort since April 16, and he's now hit safely in five of his past six starts with five RBI during that stretch. For the year, he's slashing .267/.339/.317 with one home run, eight RBI, 16 runs scored and seven steals across 114 plate appearances. |
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Mitch Keller Mitch Keller Hit around in no-decision
Sat, May 30, 2026, 9:54 PM
Keller did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Twins, allowing seven runs on 10 hits and one walk with five strikeouts over four innings.
Analysis: Keller was given an early 7-1 lead in the second inning but allowed five runs in the fourth while surrendering five extra-base hits overall. The 30-year-old endured an uneven May, yielding two earned runs or fewer in three starts but 17 total across his other three, resulting in a 5.50 ERA for the month. He'll carry a 4.35 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 51:20 K:BB across 68.1 innings this season into a road matchup against Atlanta next weekend. |
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Gregory Soto Gregory Soto Secures seventh save
Sat, May 30, 2026, 9:47 PM
Soto earned the save in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Twins, allowing no hits and one walk with no strikeouts over 1.1 scoreless innings.
Analysis: Soto was summoned with a one-run lead and two men on in the eighth inning and retired Kody Clemens before closing things out in the ninth. He's now gone five straight appearances without allowing a hit or a run and has kept opponents off the board in 10 of 12 outings in May while converting six of seven save chances during that span. On the season, he owns a 1.95 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 32:11 K:BB with seven saves across 27.2 innings while establishing himself as Pittsburgh's primary ninth-inning option. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Expected back Sunday
Sat, May 30, 2026, 12:41 PM
O'Hearn (quad) is expected to return from the injured list Sunday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Analysis: O'Hearn has been sidelined since May 17 with a strained right quad and wasn't cleared to resume baseball activity until Monday, but a quick recovery will allow him to return to the active roster before the end of the month. The 32-year-old has been enjoying one of the best seasons of his MLB career this year, slashing .289/.368/.459 with seven homers, 29 RBI and 27 runs through 44 games. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna Sitting out third straight
Sat, May 30, 2026, 12:18 PM
Ozuna isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins.
Analysis: Saturday will mark Ozuna's third consecutive absence from the starting lineup. Konnor Griffin will work as Pittsburgh's designated hitter again while working through a right forearm flexor strain, affording Jared Triolo a start at shortstop. |
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Henry Davis Henry Davis Out of Saturday's lineup
Sat, May 30, 2026, 12:14 PM
Davis isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Minnesota.
Analysis: After going just 5-for-47 at the plate since the start of May, Davis will sit for the third time in Pittsburgh's last four games. Endy Rodriguez will start behind the plate Saturday and bat seventh. |
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