DENVER — It takes a lot to surprise Isaac Mattson in the game of baseball. The Erie native and Pitt product has played in the Frontier League and Atlantic League. He’s been traded, released and removed from the 40-man roster. The right-handed reliever also became a reliable setup man in

WEST SACRAMENTO — As Pirates players celebrated and packed bags inside the cramped visitors’ clubhouse at Sutter Health Park, Marcell Ozuna took a minute to soak in the scene. Can you blame him? It had been more than a month since Ozuna’s last homer before he went deep in the

WEST SACRAMENTO — Konnor Griffin has been in Florida testing his right arm, and what he’s feeling — nothing — has the Pirates shortstop encouraged about returning to the Major League roster soon. Appearing on 93.7 The Fan for the annual Five Alarm Marathon, Griffin said he’s been throwing out

WEST SACRAMENTO — Bryan Reynolds and Mitch Keller are the two longest-tenured Pirates, Reynolds by virtue of when he made his MLB debut, Keller when it comes to time spent in the organization. So, it’s sort of fitting to hear they have a running gag when June arrives. “We always

WEST SACRAMENTO — Whenever Jacob Wilson has had a question, from childhood through becoming a Major Leaguer with the Athletics, he always knew his dad was just a phone call away, offering advice or encouragement. But a few weeks ago, the script was flipped after Jack Wilson called his son

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After Mitch Keller allowed five earned runs over four innings in his most recent start last Thursday against the Dodgers, Pirates manager Don Kelly bemoaned Keller’s lack of command and cited the right-hander’s difficulty finishing off batters. Kelly also said the Pirates needed to help Keller formulate

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Termarr Johnson seems to be finding his stroke. Meanwhile, a lot of great things have been happening in Greensboro, and left-hander Connor Wietgrefe has been on a roll with Double-A Altoona. Here’s a look at some news and notes from around the Pirates Minor League system. TRIPLE-A

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ben Cherington knows the results haven’t matched expectations — internal or external — when it comes to the Pirates pitching staff. At the same time, Pittsburgh’s general manager believes a turnaround is near, emphasizing on the Pirates Insider Show Sunday on 93.7 The Fan that it’s been

Michael Keaton swung by the Pirates clubhouse at PNC Park before Sunday’s game, chatting with Konnor Griffin, Spencer Horwitz, Nick Gonzales and another famous Yinzer, manager Don Kelly. Keaton, who grew up about 20 minutes west of the city in Robinson, did not meet Paul Skenes. It's not that Skenes

Thanks to Gregory Soto shutting the door and earning his 10th save, the Pirates’ game Saturday effectively ended with a thud — only this time it was actually a good thing. The 97-mph sinker that cracked Spencer Horwitz in the shin knocked in the go-ahead run, making a 3-2 victory

Braxton Ashcraft made his 40th MLB appearance Friday at PNC Park, his 22nd start. He’s far from a seasoned veteran. However, the 26-year-old Texan is highly intelligent and does an excellent job articulating his thoughts. Which is why it wasn’t surprising to hear how Ashcraft assessed his outing following an

Kelly Rosenwasser was on a morning walk on Friday when one of her daughters called with an urgent message. Ellie Rosenwasser saw on Instagram a few Pirates players were at an area Sheetz, and attendance wasn’t optional for the baseball-crazed family. The Rosenwassers nailed the correct Sheetz and even grabbed

The numbers don’t lie. In six games against the Braves and Dodgers, the Pirates went 1-5. They didn’t score more than three runs in the first four. They had a run differential of minus-17, helped by a blowout loss on Tuesday. Brandon Lowe, however, isn’t deterred by those numbers. Speaking

Eyerolls and groans would’ve been understandable after six innings Wednesday. Ryan Ward had hit a grand slam off Carmen Mlodzinski to give the Dodgers a five-run lead. The excitement of Tyler Callihan’s fourth-inning home run off Shohei Ohtani had subsided, replaced by Endy Rodriguez grounding into an inning-ending double play.

Their time with the Pirates covered nearly 100 years. But despite playing in vastly different eras, Jack Wilson, John Candelaria and Wilbur Cooper all made important contributions to the organization while also experiencing plenty of success in Major League Baseball. That’s why they’ll comprise the Pirates’ 2026 Hall of Fame

Strange as it may sound, Paul Skenes took the mound at PNC Park on Tuesday against the Dodgers amid at least some level of concern. His ERA over his past four starts was 5.85. Skenes did not last more than 5 1/3 innings in any of them, while his average

Surprise, surprise. The Dodgers' arrival at PNC Park this week will deliver plenty of intrigue. We’ll get Shohei Ohtani hitting against Paul Skenes on Tuesday, then Ohtani’s first-ever appearance as a pitcher in Pittsburgh. But don’t sleep on the other half of the pitching matchup for Wednesday. Unlike Skenes, Jared

The Pirates began this season knowing their starting rotation would be a key part of their team success. But over the past few weeks, there’s certainly been room for improvement. Pittsburgh’s starters allowed 21 runs on this most recent road trip (6.37 ERA). Since May 17, that group has allowed

ATLANTA — What began as a promising road trip for the Pirates, taking two out of three from the Astros in Houston, ended with a thud. Despite Bubba Chandler faring far better with an opener, Sunday's game flipped in the seventh inning, and the Pirates suffered a 3-2 loss to

ATLANTA — It appears the worst-case scenario has been avoided with Brandon Lowe. Meanwhile, Davis Wendzel joined the Pirates for their series finale Sunday against the Braves at Truist Park, while Jhostynxon Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Lowe left Saturday’s game in the ninth inning after he took a

Don Kelly leaned against his desk inside the visiting manager’s office in Houston at Daikin Park and began to laugh. Pitching coach Bill Murphy’s trademark walk, which can sometimes make a tortoise seem fast, has been a running (or crawling) joke among players and coaches. But during a May 24

HOUSTON — The pitching plan that encountered a hiccup at the outset worked to perfection on Thursday night. Excellent timing for it, too. With the Pirates looking to win a series against the Astros and bounce back from a brutal collapse the night before, Jared Jones and Carmen Mlodzinski combined

HOUSTON — Frustration wasn’t hard to find in the visitors’ clubhouse after the Pirates’ blew a five-run lead and suffered an 11-9 loss to the Astros at Daikin Park on Wednesday night. It snapped their four-game winning streak and spoiled another nine-run output, the first time Pittsburgh has scored nine

HOUSTON — When the Pirates found themselves trailing by two runs just two pitches into Tuesday’s game, there was no panic. But there was eventually liftoff. For anyone who's been following this club and its revamped offense, the 180-degree turn the Pirates have pulled off has really been something, transforming

HOUSTON — The fuss over Carmen Mlodzinski’s role will soon be a thing of the past. His stay on the restricted list lasted just one day, and the Pirates reliever — who’s with the team in Houston — said he’ll be ready to pitch in his new relief role Tuesday