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Brandon Lowe Brandon Lowe Doubles twice against Tampa Bay
Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 8:50 PM
Lowe went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI during the Pirates' 5-1 win over the Rays on Friday.
Analysis: Lowe gave the Pirates insurance runs in the eighth after his double to center field brought home both Billy Cook and Konnor Griffin. It was the seventh multi-hit game of the season for Lowe, four of which have come over his last six games. In that six-game span, he has gone 11-for-25 (.440) with four home runs and 14 RBI. |
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Oneil Cruz Oneil Cruz Belts two-run homer
Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 8:45 PM
Cruz went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run during the Pirates' 5-1 win over the Rays on Friday.
Analysis: Cruz put the Pirates up for good in the sixth inning after taking Griffin Jax deep to right-center field for a two-run long ball. It was Cruz's sixth home run of the season and fourth in 15 games since April 1. He's off to a terrific start to 2026, slashing .313/.382/.588 with nine steals (on 10 attempts), six home runs and 19 RBI across 89 plate appearances. |
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Bubba Chandler Bubba Chandler First win of 2026
Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 8:40 PM
Chandler (1-1) earned the win against the Rays on Friday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three across six innings.
Analysis: Chandler punched out only three batters while generating eight whiffs, but he was incredibly efficient with his pitches, tossing 62 strikes on 90 pitches (68.9 percent). He retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced, and he limited the damage in the sixth inning to one run after allowing three baserunners on. Not only was it Chandler's first win of the season, it was also his first quality start and the first time he completed six frames. He has yielded three earned runs or less in each of his first four outings of the season and has a 3.15 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 17:13 K:BB across 20 innings. Chandler is lined up to face the Rangers on the road next week. |
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Jose Urquidy Jose Urquidy Optioned to Triple-A
Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 1:07 PM
The Pirates optioned Urquidy to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
Analysis: Urquidy has been knocked around in a middle relief role, allowing 10 runs (six earned) on 15 hits with a 6:2 K:BB across 6.1 innings. He could get stretched back out at Indianapolis as rotation depth. Cam Sanders will take Urquidy's spot in the Pirates' bullpen. |
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Yohan Ramirez Yohan Ramirez Rocky appearance in loss
Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 10:37 AM
Ramirez allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out two in the seventh inning of Thursday's 8-7 extra-inning loss to Washington.
Analysis: Ramirez was charged with a blown save, allowing the go-ahead run at the time due to a wild pitch to give the Nationals a 7-6 lead. The 30-year-old has appeared in nine games for Pittsburgh, recording a 2.13 ERA in 12.2 innings. The right-hander has posted at least two strikeouts in seven of his nine relief outings, working more than one inning five times and picking up two wins and a hold. |
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Cam Sanders Cam Sanders Joining big-league bullpen
Fri, Apr 17, 2026, 10:09 AM
The Pirates recalled Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: It's unclear at this time what the corresponding roster move will be. Sanders has yielded two runs with an 11:7 K:BB over six frames with Indianapolis. The 29-year-old got a cup of coffee with the Pirates last season, allowing six runs with a 4:5 K:BB in 6.2 innings. |
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Braxton Ashcraft Braxton Ashcraft Surrenders five in no-decision
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 7:59 PM
Ashcraft settled for a no-decision Thursday against the Nationals, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out seven in 5.2 innings pitched.
Analysis: Ashcraft's streak of allowing two or fewer earned runs in a start this season will continue, however five runs charged to him did come across in Thursday's contest, the most he's allowed since becoming a starter. The 26-year-old continued to strike batters out at a high rate, sending seven Nationals hitters down via the strikeout. That brings his total up to 27 against just seven walks through 22.2 innings of work on the year. The right-hander is lined up to wrestle with the Rangers, tied for fifth in MLB with 21 home runs, in his next start. |
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Marcell Ozuna Marcell Ozuna Slaps three-run homer in loss
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 7:47 PM
Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a walk and a three-run home run during Thursday's 8-7 loss to the Nationals.
Analysis: Ozuna has been mired in a big slump to start the season, but he seems to be shaking that off and heating up as of late. The 35-year-old crushed his first home run of the season Thursday, a three-run homer in the fifth that allowed the Pirates to match a four-run inning by the Nationals with one of their own. After having just two hits in the first 10 games, the 14-year veteran has five hits as part of a four-game hit streak. |
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Mike Clevinger Mike Clevinger Nursing sprained knee
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 10:58 AM
Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Clevinger will be immobilized for several weeks before resuming workouts. The veteran right-hander has been pitching out of the bullpen at Triple-A Indianapolis, allowing five runs with a 9:5 K:BB across 8.2 innings. He won't be an option for the Pirates until sometime in June, at the earliest. |
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Jared Triolo Jared Triolo Will run bases next week
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 10:54 AM
Triolo (knee) is scheduled to resume running the bases next week, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Triolo has already been doing all other baseball activities and is set to take a big step next week when he runs the bases. The utility infielder is less than two weeks removed from going down with a patellar tendon injury in his right knee but looks to be making swift progress. A timetable for his return could become clearer after he runs the bases next week. |
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Joey Bart Joey Bart Playing time trending up
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 9:36 AM
Bart will start at catcher and bat seventh in Thursday's game against the Nationals.
Analysis: It's the fifth start across the last eight contests for Bart, who could be emerging the 1A to Henry Davis' 1B at catcher for the Pirates. Bart is hitting only .136/.231/.273 this season but did hit his first home run of the season in his last start Tuesday. |
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Henry Davis Henry Davis Losing playing time
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 9:33 AM
Davis is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Nationals.
Analysis: After starting eight of the first 11 games of the season, Davis has been in the lineup just three times across the past eight tilts. Davis' production at the plate has picked up a bit recently, but he's slashing just .216/.326/.297 overall. Joey Bart (.136/.231/.273) has been even worse, but he might have inched past Davis on the depth chart. |
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Ryan O'Hearn Ryan O'Hearn Sitting versus southpaw
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 9:28 AM
O'Hearn is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Nationals.
Analysis: The left-handed-hitting O'Hearn has been getting an opportunity to play against most lefties this season, but he'll begin this one on the bench as the Nationals send southpaw Foster Griffin to the hill. Jake Mangum will occupy right field and bat leadoff for the Pirates. |
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Bryan Reynolds Bryan Reynolds Grabbing first day off
Thu, Apr 16, 2026, 9:25 AM
Reynolds is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Nationals.
Analysis: It's the first day off this season for Reynolds, who boasts a .288/.400/.470 batting line with three home runs in his first 18 games this season. Billy Cook will handle left field and bat ninth for the Pirates in Thursday's series finale. |
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Dennis Santana Dennis Santana Shuts door for second save
Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 9:53 PM
Santana picked up the save Wednesday against the Nationals, throwing a clean ninth inning.
Analysis: After it looked as though left-hander Gregory Soto was Pittsburgh's preferred closer earlier this year, Santana might be taking back over as the club's favorite for saves. The right-hander sports a 1.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB with two saves over his first nine innings, though he did blow a save Saturday against the Cubs. Soto has four holds to one save chance, whereas Santana has two holds to his three save opportunities. |
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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Shines in long relief Wednesday
Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 9:47 PM
Mlodzinski (1-0) earned the win Wednesday against the Nationals, allowing no runs on two hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five.
Analysis: Working in long relief behind opener Mason Montgomery, Mlodzinski delivered six sterling frames for the Pirates on Wednesday. It was easily the best outing of the year so far for the right-hander, who set a season high in innings and gave up a season-low two hits. Mlodzinski has a 1.77 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB over his first 20.1 innings (three starts), and it remains to be seen how Pittsburgh will opt to deploy him in his next scheduled appearance versus Texas. |
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Konnor Griffin Konnor Griffin Getting breather Wednesday
Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 2:02 PM
Griffin is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Nationals.
Analysis: Nick Gonzales will get a start at shortstop while Griffin receives a day off. The 19-year-old is hitting only .189/.279/.243 in his first 43 plate appearances for the Pirates, though he has reached base four times over his last two games. |
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Carmen Mlodzinski Carmen Mlodzinski Working in bulk relief Wednesday
Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 1:04 PM
Mlodzinski is expected to cover the bulk of the innings in relief behind opening pitcher Mason Montgomery in Wednesday's game against the Nationals, Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com reports.
Analysis: Despite pitching to a 2.51 ERA over his first three starts, Mlodzinski is still in search of his first win after working fewer than five innings his first two times out and taking a no-decision in his most recent outing. With Montgomery handling the first frame or two of Wednesday's contest, Mlodzinski should have improved odds of coming away with a win while serving as the Bucs' primary pitcher out of the bullpen. |
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Mike Clevinger Mike Clevinger Injured at Triple-A
Wed, Apr 15, 2026, 8:43 AM
Clevinger is on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Indianapolis with an undisclosed injury, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Analysis: Clevinger has been pitching in relief at Indianapolis, allowing five runs with a 9:5 K:BB across 8.2 innings. It's unclear how long he might be sidelined, but the 35-year-old will not be an option for the Pirates for at least the next week. |
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Brandon Lowe Brandon Lowe Homers again Tuesday
Tue, Apr 14, 2026, 11:25 PM
Lowe went 1-for-2 with a solo home run, a walk and two runs scored in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Nationals.
Analysis: Lowe entered play Tuesday batting .105 with zero extra-base hits and a 0:6 BB:K across 19 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. Lefty PJ Poulin served as the opener for the Nationals, and Lowe took him deep on a 78 mph sweeper on the seventh pitch of the at-bat in the bottom of the first inning. It was Lowe's seventh homer of the season and fourth in the last three games. Lowe later walked and scored in his second plate appearance but was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and left-hander Mitchell Parker on the mound for Washington. Nick Yorke promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play. Perhaps Lowe's first-inning long ball off the lefty will get him more chances to face southpaws moving forward. Lowe is slashing .268/.397/.679 with seven homers, 15 RBI, 11 runs scored and an 11:14 BB:K across 68 plate appearances. |
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