PHOENIX — Don Kelly noticed something was different in Spring Training. Nick Gonzales, meanwhile, said he’s always making adjustments. The trick so far in 2026, when Gonzales has found himself atop the MLB batting average leaders, has been good health and a run of consistent playing time. Whatever the case,

PHOENIX — Despite flying across the country and changing time zones, the Pirates hoped to bottle the momentum they built against the Reds over the weekend and perhaps even build on it. That didn’t happen. Instead, zero offense, too many free passes and a concerning trend in the outfield combined

PHOENIX — Whether it has been avoiding consecutive losses for a long stretch or quickly eliminating the stench of last week’s St. Louis series, the Pirates have done an excellent job this season of staying even-keeled. But with a six-game road trip to Arizona and San Francisco, there’s an opportunity

PHOENIX — The Pirates have lost another member of their 1960 World Series team, as they confirmed Tuesday the passing of two-time MLB All-Star outfielder Bob Skinner. Skinner, who also had two different coaching stints with the Pirates, passed away Monday at the age of 94. “As a member of

PHOENIX — The Pirates will be down a pitcher for the first two games of the Diamondbacks series and manager Don Kelly for one after Major League Baseball suspended Chris Devenski for intentionally throwing at Cincinnati’s Sal Stewart in the seventh inning of the Saturday’s game. MLB announced the moves,

Off day, flight to Phoenix ... perfect time for a mailbag. Lots of great questions, too. Thank you. Tried to get to as many as possible. If you have a question for a future mailbag, I’m at Jason.Mackey@pirates.com. winningseason24 (@winningseason24): What position does [Pirates general manager] Ben Cherington address first

There’s been ample talk about urgency with the Pirates this season. But what transpired Monday on a Pittsburgh Baseball Club terrace overlooking gorgeous PNC Park involved a different type of urgency. One that united several Pittsburgh partners to combat hunger and food insecurity in the region by launching an important

Five days prior, Braxton Ashcraft stood in the same spot, surrounded by the same teammates and media contingent and had a similar tone in his voice. But that was about it in the way of similarities. The individual results were night and day. The team, too. After opening this homestand

Seth Hernandez isn’t necessarily pitching for strikeouts. More than anything, the Pirates’ top pitching prospect described it as self-preservation in the Florida heat. Hey, whatever works, right? Hernandez, 19, has been racking up a boatload of strikeouts with Low-A Bradenton while experiencing a slew of success. Through five starts, he

What happened between the Pirates and Reds on Saturday might’ve been tough to comprehend. These teams have played a lot of wacky games over the years, but this one ranks right up there. Only it was marked by walks and offense, not fists. Inside the Pirates clubhouse, there’s arguably nobody

The Pirates officially have a problem. OK, it’s a good one, as manager Don Kelly outlined recently. But they will have to figure out what to do at third base now that Jared Triolo has returned. Pittsburgh ended Triolo’s rehab assignment Saturday and optioned Nick Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis to

Apparently all the Pirates needed was for the calendar to flip from April to May. And to swap out red-clad NL Central opponents. Henry Davis certainly didn’t mind. Whatever the case, the Pirates endured a 91-minute delay and greeted the Cincinnati Reds with a barrage of home runs, putting four

As they often do, the Pirates found a way to cram a lot into the first month of the season. There was the 1-3 start featuring a frustrating opening series in New York. They’re currently trying to snap a five-game losing streak that includes getting swept by the Cardinals at

With a swing and a drive to left field, it looked like the comeback might've been complete. However, Nick Gonzales' fly ball turned into a 373-foot out and another frustrating loss for the Pirates. They showed fight by cutting a four-run deficit to one with several busy, late innings. But

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