PITTSBURGH -- Oneil Cruz heard the two other names on the elite list he just joined and smiled, pausing for 10 seconds before speaking his mind. Barry Bonds and Andrew McCutchen are as good as it gets for Pirates royalty. On Sunday against the Royals, Cruz joined them to become

PITTSBURGH -- You never know when you’ll have to break out a Harlem Globetrotters-esque trick play on a baseball diamond. For Pirates first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, his time to shine came in the top of the fifth inning, with his back to the intended target. In Saturday night's 6-5 comeback

PITTSBURGH -- Braxton Ashcraft fell short of his goal of 200 innings and 30 starts due to right arm fatigue that landed him on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 10. The Pirates All-Star right-hander still has plenty to be proud of in 2026. And after avoiding a serious injury,

PITTSBURGH -- Franchises need their pillars to succeed. For the Pirates, Konnor Griffin, Oneil Cruz and Paul Skenes are those pillars. Yet with just single-digit games remaining in 2026, the trio played in just their 12th game together on Friday night. In an 8-5 series-opening win over the Royals at

PITTSBURGH -- With the Pirates' postseason chances all but erased, there’s still one accomplishment to hang their hat on. The Brewers are baseball’s best team, on their way to 95-plus wins for the second consecutive year. They are among the favorites to take home the Commissioner’s Trophy. However, Pittsburgh has

PITTSBURGH -- Oneil Cruz's barrel perfectly met a hanging sweeper from Brewers starter Logan Henderson, belting the ball into the right-field seats for the Pirates' 172nd home run of the season. While cutting Pittsburgh’s deficit to one in the fourth inning of an eventual 5-4 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday

PITTSBURGH -- Jacob Misiorowski has carved through plenty of lineups en route to a National League Cy Young-worthy season. He entered Tuesday night at PNC Park with a 14-5 record and an NL-best 1.95 ERA. Pittsburgh has proven to be one of the league’s top offenses. But Misiorowski’s performance only

This story was excerpted from Aiden Stepansky's Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- The Pirates entered the Windy City for series against the White Sox and Cubs 5 1/2 games back of the final NL Wild Card spot with 18 games remaining. As they take the plane back to Pittsburgh, they are in nearly the exact same spot, sitting six games

CHICAGO -- Wrigley Field is the one place Paul Skenes has consistently dominated. The Friendly Confines have certainly been friendly to Pittsburgh's right-hander, as he entered with 16 scoreless innings and 22 strikeouts over three career starts at Wrigley. Amid a down season, Skenes still found his way on Chicago’s

CHICAGO -- Just as the Pirates offense returned to full strength on Friday, it took another hit soon after. Pittsburgh rookie outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain on Saturday. Outfielder Ronny Simon was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis. Valdez exited Friday’s game

CHICAGO -- As Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland used to say, momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starting pitcher. Looking for their fifth straight win, the Pirates relied on three rookie pitchers to piece the puzzle together.

CHICAGO -- The Pirates’ offense is receiving its final reinforcement for the home stretch. Veteran slugger Ryan O'Hearn is with the team at Wrigley Field and was activated off the 10-day injured list on Friday. Outfielder Ronny Simon was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. O’Hearn admitted that he’s likely not 100%

This story was excerpted from Aiden Stepansky's Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- Jared Jones has waited his whole life for moments like this: a crucial start with postseason implications on the line. After working his way back from an internal brace surgery in May 2025, Thursday night’s 6 ⅔ no-hit innings held even more meaning. “Going through the injury I

CHICAGO -- Pirates All-Star pitcher Braxton Ashcraft is headed to the 15-day injured list with right arm discomfort. Pittsburgh recalled right-hander Antwone Kelly from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move. Ashcraft has pitched 95 2/3 more innings in 2026 than he did last season as he soared to a breakout

CHICAGO – As Jared Triolo leaped into the air, so did the rest of the Pirates organization. The former Gold Glover came on as a defensive replacement in the late innings to hold a narrow lead. With the bases loaded in the eighth inning, Triolo made a jumping catch, then

CHICAGO -- Yohan Ramírez induced a key 5-4-3 double play to preserve the Pirates' 4-1 lead at the end of the seventh inning. Then, the benches and bullpens cleared at Rate Field Wednesday night.

CHICAGO -- The Pirates are running out of time. A powerful first inning proved they know it.

CHICAGO -- The Pirates are almost back to full strength. After recent returns of Oneil Cruz and Konnor Griffin, the last piece of the puzzle is left-handed slugger Ryan O'Hearn.

This story was excerpted from Aiden Stepansky's Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PITTSBURGH -- Baseball can be quite the whirlwind. Take the last three months of Tre Phelps’ life, for example. When Phelps returned from Omaha, Neb., after a College World Series run with Georgia, he had just a few days before heading to Arizona for the MLB Draft Combine. After the

PITTSBURGH -- It’s every kid's dream to face their favorite team in the Major Leagues. Nearing the end of his third MLB campaign, Paul Skenes realized that dream on Sunday at PNC Park. Born in Fullerton, Calif., Skenes grew up a die-hard fan of the Angels, meeting Garret Anderson as

PITTSBURGH -- As the end of the 2026 season nears, Braxton Ashcraft has surpassed his career high in innings by nearly 50 frames. “September, I don't think anybody's feeling fantastic, but I'm able to pitch,” Ashcraft said. “I want to pitch. It’s just one of those things. I don't think

PITTSBURGH -- Konnor Griffin swiped his left hand across home plate, then pumped his right fist while shouting with excitement. The 20-year-old Pirates shortstop returned from the 60-day injured list on Friday and instantly showed off his patented elite speed. In the bottom of the second inning, Jake Mangum ripped