Chris Devenski endured a scary moment this spring when a line drive struck him on the side of the head during a Grapefruit League game on March 13, causing a concussion. It probably took longer than he would’ve liked, in part due to the head injury, but Devenski has worked

In a starting rotation led by Paul Skenes, Braxton Ashcraft spent the first month of this season turning heads and making a name for himself. The 6-foot-5 right-hander mixed premium velocity with deadly spin. Ashcraft also knows how to pitch and helped himself by throwing strikes. His performance rivaled that

Dennis Santana walked slowly toward home plate and gazed into the stands at PNC Park, the frustration on his face evident following a two-run double that flipped the lead. An impressive reclamation project since the Pirates claimed Santana off waivers from the Yankees in June 2024, the 30-year-old reliever had

The Pirates are more equipped than ever to bounce back from an ugly loss Sunday in Milwaukee, where they had just two hits and amassed 18 strikeouts. As players entered the home clubhouse at PNC Park, they saw an inflatable bounce house, this season’s latest prank. Paul Skenes joked Friday

A traffic cone, the welder’s hood, hard hats and now … a bounce house. Yes, a bounce house. Following up on a joke from over the weekend in Milwaukee, Paul Skenes actually ordered a bounce house and had it delivered to the Pirates’ clubhouse at PNC Park, the latest bit

MILWAUKEE — Through the first three innings Sunday, Carmen Mlodzinski was cruising. Then in the fourth, he encountered a familiar bit of turbulence. Navigating lineups a second and third time has proven costly for Mlodzinski, and this was no different. After a 5-0 Pirates loss to the Brewers at American

MILWAUKEE — Jared Jones will begin a rehab assignment with Low-A Bradenton on Wednesday, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington told me on the Pirates Insider Show Sunday. It’s an important step for an important pitcher who’s expected to return in late May or early June. Jones, who’s been on the

MILWAUKEE — There was a sense of opportunity when the Pirates arrived in Milwaukee Friday for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. They were coming off a frustrating, 6-1 defeat to the Rangers and a series loss in Arlington, Texas. However, the Pirates have played

MILWAUKEE — The Pirates’ victory Friday over the Brewers was defined by Paul Skenes’ dominance and a breakout performance from Konnor Griffin, who smacked the first home run of his MLB career. Loud moments, right? A day later, the strategy was slightly more subtle, the Pirates scoring a half-dozen runs

MILWAUKEE — What else would you do if you saw a bounce house? After Friday’s 6-0 Pirates victory, where Paul Skenes delivered seven shutout innings and allowed just one hit, where Konnor Griffin hit his first MLB home run on his 20th birthday, Skenes had all of us laughing when

MILWAUKEE — The Pirates threw their own draft party on Friday night. With the NFL draft taking over Pittsburgh, the organization’s past three first-round picks took center stage within hours of one another: Paul Skenes (2023) flirting with a perfect game and Konnor Griffin (2024) hitting his first MLB home

MILWAUKEE -- Whether it has involved playing or coaching, former Pirate Jack Wilson has always loved the process. It’s partly why Wilson enjoyed a 12-year big league career, including nine seasons with the Pirates. It’s definitely why he continues to turn double plays at age 48, three times a week

ARLINGTON — Bubba Chandler’s season to this point has been defined by learning lessons and responding appropriately when something doesn’t go his way. The Pirates need the next chapter of that story soon. Chandler was not particularly sharp during Thursday’s 6-1 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field,

ARLINGTON — It started with the first home run Braxton Ashcraft has allowed this season, on a pitch he surely wanted back. It continued when the Texas Rangers rallied for two runs to tie it in the eighth. A half-inning later, things crescendoed with an incredible home run from Oneil

ARLINGTON, Texas — Andrew McCutchen has obviously been a tremendous baseball player over the years, perhaps a Hall of Famer. He’s also a really good talker, introspective and honest when articulating his thoughts. But facing the Pirates for the first time after a difficult offseason breakup, McCutchen kept things close

ARLINGTON -- When Nellie Hestin finally finished screaming with excitement from her family’s seats along the third-base line Sunday at PNC Park, she figured that was it, her husband and their two kids getting a souvenir baseball and creating a lasting memory for the Franklin Park family. You’ve probably seen

DALLAS — Through the first 22 games, the Pirates have unquestionably been among the better stories in baseball. They’ve hoisted cones and donned a welder’s mask. In its most recent Power Rankings, MLB.com has the Pirates ranked fifth, ahead of every other NL Central club. It’s been a fun start,

DALLAS — Hello, Pirates fans. Welcome to my weekly mailbag. Moved it to Monday due to the schedule. Thank you for understanding. Bunch of great questions, per usual. Let’s get started. Hank Dave Burner Acc (@NotHankDave): What’s the plan with middle relievers? Jason Mackey: This was asked a bunch of

Sunday’s 6-3 victory over the Rays featured an entertaining mix of old and new for the Pirates. It also reinforced what’s becoming an identity of this club: It’s excellent at following ugly losses with something better. While improving to 4-2-1 in series play and punctuating a 4-3 homestand, the Pirates

Between a sellout crowd, Paul Skenes starting on his bobblehead night and the Pirates aiming to build on a quality win Friday, the stage was set. Yet several things combined to create a long, frustrating day at PNC Park. Skenes’ start was cut short by a 2-hour, 27-minute rain delay.

As Nick Yorke and Billy Cook chatted this past Tuesday, the day after the Pirates amassed 16 hits and runs against the Nationals, Ryan O’Hearn couldn’t help but overhear from a few stalls away inside the Pirates clubhouse. Yorke was bemoaning his 0-for-6 night when O’Hearn joked Yorke was probably

Perhaps it was the uniforms — City Connects, arguably the best in Major League Baseball. Or the presence of A.J. Burnett and Doug Drabek or Paul Skenes procuring a bunch of hardware pregame. It could’ve been a beautiful night, the revved-up crowd, fireworks or dreams of what this eventually could

Brandon Lowe started to rip the Band-Aid off during Spring Training. The Pirates second baseman faced his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays, and took the extra step of requesting to make the trip to Port Charlotte, Fla. The idea of wearing new colors or seeing longtime friends isn’t entirely

Thursday’s series finale was hardly a problem involving effort or fight. The Pirates were fine in that department. No, their 8-7 loss to the Nationals in 10 innings at PNC Park was ultimately defined by a lack of execution, sloppy play or plays that must improve for the Pirates to

On Tuesday night, Pirates manager Don Kelly’s decision to have Nick Yorke pinch hit for Brandon Lowe did not pan out and was criticized externally. Twenty-four hours later, Kelly having Mason Montgomery open for Carmen Mlodzinski worked to perfection — and served as the primary storyline in the Pirates’ 2-0