TAMPA, Fla. -- A few days before pitchers and catchers reported to Pirate City back in February, Ryan O'Hearn received a relatively unexpected phone call from Pirates manager Don Kelly. There was a chance the Pirates could sign Marcell Ozuna, Kelly explained. But if it happened, O’Hearn had to become

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Paul Skenes has been Rookie of the Year and a Cy Young Award winner in the National League. Apparently he’s also now a prankster. Before the Pirates’ 9-7 win over the Red Sox on Sunday at LECOM Park, Skenes ordered and had delivered a custom, pirate-themed cake

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Ben Cherington knew it was coming. Both in Spring Training and again Sunday morning. It’s the wildly popular and much-discussed Konnor Griffin question: How to handle the best prospect in baseball and whether or not he makes the Opening Day roster. The Pirates general manager did not

LAKELAND, Fla. — Justin Lawrence was staring at a 3-0 count in the fifth inning Saturday against Tigers catcher Jake Rogers at Joker Marchant Stadium, missing outside with a sweeper and two sinkers. It was a situation that would’ve consumed the Pirates reliever only a few years ago, where he’d

BRADENTON, Fla. -- When Hunter Barco left Pittsburgh and flew south for the winter, an encouraging MLB debut and strong Minor League season in the books, the young left-hander was hardly satisfied. Wanting to take the next step in his career, the 2022 second-round pick and current MLB Pipeline Top

BRADENTON, Fla. -- While much has been made of 19-year-old Konnor Griffin or a Pirates offense that appears far better equipped to do damage in 2026, starting pitching remains the team’s backbone. Paul Skenes, yes. But also young guys with power stuff like Bubba Chandler and Braxton Ashcraft, who started

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Standing in front of a Pirates backdrop inside the interview room at LECOM Park, Tyler Callihan glanced down and began to count the scars on his surgically repaired left arm, the result of a gruesome injury that occurred May 5 at Atlanta. “I have this one, this

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Ryan O'Hearn wasn’t trying to make some grand declaration. He was simply describing what he saw. It was Saturday, Feb. 21, midway through the Pirates’ Grapefruit League opener against the Orioles in Sarasota. After his workday concluded, O’Hearn described getting 2023 Orioles vibes with the ‘26 Pirates,