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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Set for another start
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 6:10 PM
Mlodzinski will start Monday's contest against the Tigers, Dominic Campbell of SI.com reports.
Analysis: Mlodzinski returned to the Pirates' starting rotation in early August after Mitch Keller (arm) suffered a season-ending injury, and he will now make his third start since then. The 27-year-old has combined to pitch 5.1 innings, allowing nine runs on 12 hits and four walks while striking out two batters over his last two outings. Mlodzinski hasn't exceeded 70 pitches in an outing since June 15, so it's unclear how deep he'll be able to go against Detroit. |
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Jared Triolo Jared Triolo Getting leadoff chance Sunday
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:52 AM
Triolo will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Analysis: Triolo will check into the starting nine for the fourth game in a row, but he'll receive just his third look of the season in the leadoff spot while Nick Gonzales (face) is on the bench against southpaw Patrick Sandoval. The Pirates should be able to open up regular room for Triolo in the lineup against left-handed pitching, but the slick-fielding infielder may see more sporadic opportunities versus righties so long as Gonzales makes a quick recovery from the facial contusion he suffered Friday. |
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Ronny Simon Ronny Simon Heading to bench Sunday
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:49 AM
Simon is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Analysis: After going 1-for-7 with a run scored in the first two contests of the series, Simon will get a breather. His move to the bench will open up a spot in the outfield for Billy Cook, who will make his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday. |
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Nick Gonzales Nick Gonzales Remaining out of lineup
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:31 AM
Gonzales will be out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox while he continues to recover from a facial contusion, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: He'll be relegated to the bench for the second day in a row after being hit in the helmet by a pitch in the fifth inning Friday. Gonzales was cleared for full activities Saturday and was available off the bench, but he went unused in the Pirates' 4-0 loss. Nick Yorke will start at third base Sunday. |
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Rafael Flores Jr. Rafael Flores Jr. Earning fourth straight start
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:23 AM
Flores will start at first base and bat fifth in Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Analysis: Flores will draw his fourth consecutive start, two against right-handed pitchers and two versus lefties. With Spencer Horwitz occupying the strong side of a platoon at first base, Flores' main path to playing time will come behind the plate, where he could challenge Henry Davis for starts while Endy Rodriguez (hip) is on the shelf. Since coming off the injured list Aug. 1, Flores has done his part to earn more opportunities by going 7-for-22 with three home runs, two walks, eight RBI and three runs in seven games. |
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Spencer Horwitz Spencer Horwitz Idle for series finale
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:19 AM
Horwitz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.
Analysis: For the second time in the series, Horwitz will hit the bench while the Red Sox send another lefty to the bump in Patrick Sandoval. Rafael Flores will check in for Horwitz at first base and bat fifth. |
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Jacob Gonzalez Jacob Gonzalez Sitting against lefty
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:15 AM
Gonzalez is not in the lineup for Sunday's affair with the Red Sox.
Analysis: With southpaw Patrick Sandoval taking the mound for Boston, Gonzalez will sit out Sunday's rubber match. Jared Triolo will take over at shortstop and lead off for Pittsburgh. |
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Wilber Dotel Wilber Dotel Sent back to Triple-A
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:13 AM
The Pirates optioned Dotel to Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday.
Analysis: The 23-year-old has bounced back and forth between Pittsburgh and Indy this season, and he owns a 1-4 record, 4.71 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 31:13 K:BB at the big-league level. The Pirates elevated Hunter Barco to replace Dotel on the active roster. |
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Jack Brannigan Jack Brannigan Demoted to Indianapolis
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:08 AM
The Pirates optioned Brannigan to Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday.
Analysis: Brannigan recorded no plate appearances with the big-league club after being elevated Thursday. With Indianapolis, the 25-year-old has slashed just .205/.305/.352 with three homers and 19 RBI in 106 plate appearances this year. Pittsburgh recalled Nick Yorke to take Brannigan's spot on the 26-man roster. |
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Nick Yorke Nick Yorke Recalled, starting Sunday
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 11:03 AM
The Pirates recalled Yorke from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday. He'll start at third base and bat seventh in the Pirates' series finale versus the Red Sox.
Analysis: Per Jason Mackey of MLB.com, Yorke missed nearly two months of action at Triple-A while recovering from a fractured right middle finger, but the 24-year-old returned to the Indianapolis lineup earlier this week and went 6-for-16 with three home runs and a double in four games. He'll now get the call back to the big leagues for the first time since mid-May, with Pittsburgh optioning Jack Brannigan to Triple-A to make space for Yorke on the 26-man active roster. |
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Hunter Barco Hunter Barco Back in big leagues
Sun, Aug 16, 2026, 10:58 AM
The Pirates recalled Barco from Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday.
Analysis: Barco will be up with the Pirates for the fourth time this season and owns a 7.36 ERA and 2.11 WHIP in 14.2 innings over six appearances with the big club. The left-hander most recently tossed a six-inning shutout for Indianapolis last weekend and could be called upon to cover multiple innings of relief during Sunday's game against the Red Sox. Lake Bachar will be making a spot start Sunday, but he's expected to be in line for a restricted workload after making his first four appearances with Pittsburgh as a reliever. |
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Lake Bachar Lake Bachar Slated to start Sunday
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:38 PM
Bachar will start Sunday's matchup against the Red Sox, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Analysis: Bachar will make his first start as a Pirate and his first start since June 19. The right-hander will replace Paul Skenes as Pittsburgh's starter Sunday. The 31-year-old last pitched Wednesday against the Mets, allowing three runs on three hits over three innings. On the year, Bachar owns a 3.97 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 68:23 K:BB through 65.2 innings. |
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Paul Skenes Paul Skenes Start pushed to Wednesday
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:32 PM
Manager Don Kelly said Saturday that Skenes will not start for the Pirates on Sunday, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Analysis: Skenes will not make his scheduled 26th start of the season Sunday and will instead receive three extra days of rest and pitch Wednesday against the Tigers. The skipper added that he wanted to give his young right-hander more rest, and this is not injury-related. Lake Bachar will start for Pittsburgh on Sunday instead of Skenes. |
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Nick Gonzales Nick Gonzales Available off bench
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 3:28 PM
Gonzales (face) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Red Sox.
Analysis: Gonzales will begin Saturday's contest on the bench after taking a pitch off his head Friday, but the team confirmed before the game that he's been cleared for activity and will be available to play if needed, per Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Jared Triolo steps in at third base, batting ninth. |
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Brandon Lowe Brandon Lowe Pops 26th homer
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:25 AM
Lowe went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run Friday against the Red Sox.
Analysis: Lowe broke the game open for the Pirates with his three-run blast in the fifth inning. He has three home runs across his last eight starts, giving him 26 for the season. Lowe is posting a nearly identical line to his 2025 campaign, though he is on track to post his highest plate appearance total since 2021, which has helped boost his counting stats. |
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Bryan Reynolds Bryan Reynolds Crosses plate three times Friday
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:22 AM
Reynolds went 2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and a stolen base in Friday's 8-4 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: The veteran outfielder stole a bag for a second straight contest as he tries to find ways to stay productive while mired in a 16-game homer drought. During that stretch, Reynolds has managed just a .230/.319/.279 slash line with three doubles, two steals, two RBI and nine runs. |
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Esmerlyn Valdez Esmerlyn Valdez Getting back on track
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:21 AM
Valdez went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored Friday against the Red Sox.
Analysis: Valdez has been in a significant slump for much of August, but he has started to turn things around in his last few starts. Across the last four games, he's gone 5-for-15 with three RBI, three runs scored and a double. While a limited sample, Valdez has also encouragingly struck out only 18.8 percent of the time in that span. |
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Rafael Flores Jr. Rafael Flores Jr. Goes yard again Friday
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:19 AM
Flores went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 8-4 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: The 25-year-old rookie took Jake Bennett deep for a solo shot in the second inning -- per Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com, that made Flores just the fifth Pirate in the last 21 seasons to homer in three straight plate appearances, after he went yard twice Thursday. He's banged out five hits in those two contests, doubling his big-league total on the season, and through 14 games for the Bucs dating back to June 10 he's slashing .294/.400/.676 with four homers and 10 RBI while bouncing between first base and catcher. |
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Mason Montgomery Mason Montgomery Notches fourth save
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:12 AM
Montgomery recorded his fourth save of the season in Friday's 8-4 win over the Red Sox, striking out the only batter he faced.
Analysis: After Luke Weaver worked a perfect eighth inning, Kirby Yates got the call in the ninth to protect a five-run lead but ran into trouble with two outs, forcing manager Don Kelly to turn to Montgomery with the tying run in the on-deck circle. Despite the Pirates' veteran bullpen additions at the trade deadline, it's Montgomery who's collected the team's last two saves and three of the last four, with Gregory Soto getting the other. Montgomery has more than earned a shot at the full-time closer role -- he's been scored upon just once in his last 17 appearances dating back to June 29, producing a 1.15 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 32:6 K:BB in just 15.2 innings over that dominant stretch. |
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Bubba Chandler Bubba Chandler Collects third straight win
Sat, Aug 15, 2026, 9:05 AM
Chandler (6-8) picked up the win in Friday's 8-4 victory over the Red Sox, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out five.
Analysis: The right-hander blanked Boston for four frames before running into a bit of trouble in the fifth, but the Pirates had already built a 4-0 lead at that point. Chandler has won three straight starts and given up three earned runs or fewer in six straight, posting a 2.56 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 29:12 K:BB through 31.2 innings over that latter stretch. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is set to come at home next week against the Tigers. |
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