Pittsburgh Pirates / MLB
Pirates farm report for July 31, 2025: Edward Florentino’s homer helps secure Marauders’ victory
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 62-42) fell 6-2 to Iowa (Cubs). SS Cam Devanney (.278) was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. 2B Nick Yorke (.270) also knocked in a run. 3B Tsung-Che Cheng (.225) was 1 for 3. 1B Nick Solak (.367) was 1 for 4. CF Billy Cook...
Did Pirates take ‘important step’ with trade deadline deals or was it another salary dump?
The Pittsburgh Pirates took what their fan base viewed as another salary dump for prospects at the MLB trade deadline and what general manager Ben Cherington defended as “an important step” toward next season. After dealing Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds and left-handed reliever Caleb...
Tim Benz Podcasts
Pirates trade 2-time All-Star closer David Bednar to Yankees for trio of prospects
The Renegade is heading to the Bronx. The Pittsburgh Pirates dealt two-time All-Star closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees on Thursday afternoon in a trade-deadline deal for 24-year-old minor league catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores and two Low-A prospects. Bednar was one of the most coveted closers on the...
First Call: Yankees may be interested in David Bednar; Pirates ‘reluctant to seriously engage’ in Mitch Keller trade talks
There are some interesting developments on the David Bednar trade front. The New York Yankees could be interested. It appears Ben Cherington has had very little motivation to trade Mitch Keller. Justin Fields is dealing with his injury well in New York. And the Baltimore Ravens are bringing an Olympic...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Time for Pirates to be ‘ruthless’ by making moves at trade deadline
Since the trade of Adam Frazier at the All-Star break, the Pittsburgh Pirates have been abundantly aware of MLB’s trade deadline and the possibility that any player not named Paul Skenes could be dealt. One veteran noted that if you don’t want to see people get traded, you need to...
Pirates farm report for July 30, 2025: 3 hits from Esmerlyn Valdez, Jase Bowen lift Curve to win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 62-41) dropped a 5-2 decision to Iowa (Cubs). CF Billy Cook (.245) knocked in a run. DH Ronny Simon (.300) was 1 for 4 with a run scored. LF Matt Fraizer (.286) was 1 for 3 with a walk and run scored. RF Nick Solak (.369) was 1...
Isaac Mattson finishes off Giants as Pirates take advantage of extra-inning mishap for sweep
The Pittsburgh Pirates took advantage of an extra-inning mishap, then placed Isaac Mattson in a predicament. The right-handed reliever rose to the occasion to clinch the team’s first road sweep in more than a year. With runners on second and third in the bottom of the 10th inning, Mattson struck...
Pirates trade 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes to Reds, LHP Caleb Ferguson to Mariners ahead of deadline
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a major move Wednesday before MLB’s trade deadline, parting ways with a player once considered a franchise cornerstone by dealing Gold Glove third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes and cash considerations to the Cincinnati Reds. In return, the Pirates will receive left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers and minor league...
Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen joins elite company with 10th home run of the season
Andrew McCutchen isn’t one to spend much, if any, time basking in his own glory when approached about achieving various career accolades. McCutchen has dealt with his fair share of those borderline unwelcome conversations during his three-year reunion with the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he’s eclipsed 2,000 hits, 300 home runs...
First Call: Broderick Jones expected back at practice; more interest in David Bednar; Ben Cherington ‘in limbo’
Wednesday’s “First Call” has an update on Broderick Jones’ practice status. Trey Hendrickson will report to training camp in Cincinnati. The other two AFC North teams have seen significant players go down with injuries at their camps. And we have more speculation about the futures of David Bednar, Mitch Keller...
Pirates plate a pair in 8th to beat Giants, earn series win
The Pittsburgh Pirates rode a bit of momentum into the second of three games at Oracle Park on Tuesday, having won six of their last seven. Conversely, the San Francisco Giants had dropped 11 of their past 14 games when they sent Justin Verlander to the hill looking to even...
Pirates farm report for July 29, 2025: Johan Oviedo strikes out 5, Cam Devanney homers in Indy victory
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple-A, 62-40) scored four runs in the seventh inning and edged Iowa (Cubs), 5-3. 3B Cam Devanney (.275) was 2 for 3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. LF Ronny Simon (.300) was 2 for 5 with two RBIs. DH Nick Solak (.371) was 2 for 5...
Pirates’ Mike Burrows making strides toward proving he belongs in big-league rotation
Mike Burrows is unique among the Pittsburgh Pirates starting rotation in that no other pitcher throws a changeup as frequently as he does. Per Statcast, it’s Burrows’ No. 2 most utilized pitch, behind only the four-seam fastball. Burrows throws it 23.8% of the time, compared to Andrew Heaney (17.4%), Paul...
First Call: Asking price for David Bednar reportedly ‘bananas’; Minkah Fitzpatrick calls Pittsburgh exit ‘very unfortunate’
Tuesday’s “First Call” features Minkah Fitzpatrick’s first quotes since being traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Miami Dolphins. We also get updates on David Bednar’s trade stock and Kenny Pickett’s health. Plus, more gambling issues swirl around the Cleveland Guardians. Minkah speaks For the first time since he was...
Tim Benz: Bryce Harper, Rob Manfred confrontation shows cooler heads must prevail in MLB labor talks
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred was reportedly told to “get the (expletive) out” of the Philadelphia Phillies locker room by two-time MVP Bryce Harper last week. As reported by ESPN.com and The Bandwagon, Manfred fired back at Harper with similar language and refused to leave. According to ESPN’s Jeff...
Paul Skenes says Pirates must ‘consciously, intentionally make moves to get us better’
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes tossed six shutout innings Sunday. I thought his second-best pitch was his changeup. I thought his best pitch was the one he made during a postgame interview. While hosting Sunday’s postgame show on 93.7 The Fan, Dan Zangrilli asked Skenes if he felt the...
Andrew McCutchen’s homer lifts Pirates over Giants, whose late rally comes up short
Less than three full days until the trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Pirates sent Mitch Keller to the hill against the Giants in what potentially could be his final start with the club. Keller, a 2014 draft pick by Pittsburgh and the most tenured member of the Pirates, has certainly performed...
First Call: Minkah Fitzpatrick’s new money; Kenny Pickett’s injury; a twist on Mitch Keller trade rumors
Monday’s “First Call” features some new money up front for former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. We look at Kenny Pickett’s hamstring injury in Cleveland. There is a new layer to the Mitch Keller trade rumors, and we examine the Pirates’ road trip out west. Pickett’s problem It doesn’t sound...
