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Game Of His Life: Gift Ngoepe
“Game Of His Life” tells the story of Pittsburgh athletes who may not have had the most illustrious, Hall of Fame level careers, but had one absolutely amazing game. In today’s edition, Gift Ngoepe. Mpho’ Gift Ngoepe didn’t have a lengthy career in the major leagues. Appearing in just 41 games and recording just 82…
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Crushing Collapse Against Phillies Should Be A Wake Up Call For Pirates
When Pirates general manager Ben Cherington traded closer David Bednar to the New York Yankees at the trade deadline last year, he was taking a gamble. In the longer term, he was banking on the return of 24-year-old Triple-A catcher Rafael Flores, 20-year-old outfielder Brian Sanchez, and 19-year-old catcher Edgleen Perez would outweigh the departure…
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Endy Rodríguez Has Real Opportunity After Strong Season Debut
Catcher has been the one consistent position group struggling with the bat in Pittsburgh so far this season. Starting catcher Henry Davis, still stellar while behind the dish, has limped to a .151/.263/.256 (.519 OPS) with two home runs and eight RBI in his first 100 plate appearances. Joey Bart, meanwhile, got off to a…
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Samuel Girard Could Be Under-The-Radar Trade Asset For Penguins
Last night, Brett Kulak advanced the Colorado Avalanche to the Western Conference Final, scoring the overtime game-winning goal to cap off a comeback from down 3-0 to win Game 5. For Kulak, it’s been a crazy last few years. After making it to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final with his hometown team in Edmonton, Kulak has…
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How The Pirates Should Handle The Upcoming Return Of Jared Jones
Last night, Jared Jones made his latest rehab start, taking his talents to Altoona to pitch for Pittsburgh’s Double-A affiliate, the Curve. In his first start of the season in Altoona, the right-hander pitched 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out four en route to an eventual 1-0 win for the Curve. Jones…
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Can Germie Bernard Break The No. 17 Curse?
At long last, the initial jersey numbers for the new rookie class of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been released. The list of new jersey numbers featured some surprises, including top-selling Drew Allar wearing No. 16 and wide receiver/return specialist Kaden Wetjen wearing No. 42, those the latter has said his number is temporary. Among the…
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Can Joey Bart Turn A Corner?
It’s no secret that catcher was a position of weakness as the Pittsburgh Pirates looked to improve offensively this season. While the front office invested in bats for both the infield and outfield, catcher was the one main position the Pirates left untouched this winter. In theory, the organization had four options to start the…
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Reviewing The List Of Free Agents For The Penguins
July 1st is still a while off, but it’s never too early to start looking at what the Pittsburgh Penguins should do with their list of free agents. While the majority of the contract extension talk has surrounded 39-year-old Evgeni Malkin and whether the Penguins will retain the future Hall of Famer for another year,…
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Revisiting The Phil Kessel Trade To Arizona
On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs officially announced John Chayka as their new general manager. Chayka, now a 36-year-old executive, was formerly the general manager of the Arizona Coyotes. He was the youngest general manager in NHL history upon landing in the desert in May of 2016. After nearly half a decade away from the…
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Buyouts Don’t Make Sense For Penguins In Offseason
As the Stanley Cup Playoffs move on to the second round, the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking towards the offseason. Though the Penguins made the postseason for the first time in four years, they were eliminated in the first round by their cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. For an organization under general manager Kyle Dubas, one…
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The Evgeni Malkin Decision Isn’t Complicated
With the season officially over and the offseason underway for the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of their biggest summer questions is already gaining traction. Evgeni Malkin, the 39-year-old, lifetime Penguin is due to be a free agent on July 1st. His contract and looming free agency was a topic several times during this season. His representatives…
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Don’t Blink
The Pittsburgh Penguins went into Philadelphia with their backs against the wall. For them, it was far from unfamiliar territory. After digging themselves into a 3-0 hole during their first round series against the Flyers, the Penguins had rallied to win Games 4 and 5. Yes, they had received some lucky bounces along the way,…
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At This Point, Is Aaron Rodgers More Trouble Than He’s Worth?
Apparently, one year just wasn’t enough of this. For the second straight offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have spent months awaiting the decision of free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Last year, the saga spanned all the way until June before Rodgers finally signed with the Steelers. No one quite knows how long this year’s uncertainty will last,…
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Arturs Silovs Shows Playoff Experience In Season-Saving Performance
The Pittsburgh Penguins went into Philadelphia with their backs against the wall. Down 3-0 in their first-round to their cross-state rivals in the Flyers, the Penguins were facing near impossible odds. Only four times in the history of the NHL has a team overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win the series. But before the…
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The Drew Allar Pick Encapsulates The Chaos That Steelers Are In
It’s hard to think of a more polarizing, stunning, and confusing draft the Pittsburgh Steelers have had recently. And in a draft so unpredictable, Steelers fans have had a front-row seat, watching the events unfold right in their own backyard. It started on Thursday night, when general manager Omar Khan was on the phone with…
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Penguins Have Script Flipped On Them After Two Home Losses To Open Postseason
Well, who would have seen this coming? Look, this is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s one of hockey’s biggest and best rivalries. Anyone who thought this would be easy was lying to themselves. But I don’t think anyone could have predicted for the Philadelphia Flyers to whoop the Pittsburgh Penguins the way they have through…
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Wilber Dotel Puts His Name On Big League Map In MLB Debut
Saturday afternoon…and, well, night was a rough one for the Pittsburgh Pirates. What started as a beautiful day saw PNC Park packed to the brim, with 37,773 fans flocking to the ballpark to get their hands on a Paul Skenes bobblehead. And it just so happened that the pitcher taking the mound for the hometown…
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Penguins Put Up Pitiful Showing In Playoff Opener
For the first time in four years, playoff hockey returned to Pittsburgh and PPG Paints Arena. Fans packed inside the home of the Penguins as Sidney Crosby and the gang were set to face off against their cross-state rival in the Philadelphia Flyers. Yes, with the goaltender pulled they scored to make it interesting at…
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Carmen Mlodzinski Is Dominating Right Now
Nineteen games into the season, Paul Skenes has the highest ERA among starters of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Who would have possibly seen that coming? That statement is far less about the work of Skenes, who has rebounded to his usual self after that nightmare Opening Day, and much more about the stellar work that the…
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The Forgotten Battle Of PA
It’s official: the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature a renewal of the Battle of Pennsylvania. In glorifying the history between these two cross-state rivals, many look back to the 2012 first round series between them. The rivalry was a joy for all involved, whether you had a side in the fight…
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Checking In On Some Arms In Indianapolis
Despite winning the series at Wrigley Field, the Pittsburgh Pirates are leaving Chicago with a bad taste in their mouths. After leading 5-0 thanks to a home run by Oneil Cruz and a grand slam by Brandon Lowe, the Cubs mounted a comeback, eventually winning the game in a walk-off, 7-6 to salvage the final…
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Is It Time To Worry About Justin Lawrence?
Justin Lawrence has a very interesting career arc so far. Making his major league debut in 2021, the righty spent his first four years as a big leaguer in Colorado. Pitching roughly half his time in such a hitter-friendly ballpark, it’s no surprise that his cumulative ERA was a 5.43 over his first 194 innings…
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No Matter What Happens In Playoffs, This Season Was A Massive Success
What a difference six months makes. Take a minute and think back to October, before the puck dropped on opening night for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Think about what the predictions were for this season. All summer long, Penguins fans were bombarded left, right, and center from outside voices clamoring for a trade of captain Sidney…
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The Rise Of Nick Yorke
General manager Ben Cherington has spent years trying to make the offense of the Pittsburgh Pirates more competitive. It took him a painful amount of years to acquire legitimate MLB-caliber hitters. This past offseason, the longtime executive finally was able to land a few, with Brandon Lowe and Ryan O’Hearn bringing some much needed power…
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Penguins Overpower Panthers In Easter Eve Win
The endangerment of the Florida Panther is a conversation usually reserved for the animal, with only a few hundred currently still alive. But sooner or later, we’re also going to have to discuss the endangerment of the hockey player variety. The defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are a shell of themselves as this season comes…
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Konnor Griffin’s MLB Debut Etches His Name Into Pirates History
As PNC Park celebrates its 25th season on the North Shore, the Pittsburgh Pirates christened the silver jubilee with one of the most electric moments in the ballpark’s history yesterday. Konnor Griffin, the consensus top prospect in all of baseball, made his major league debut with the Pirates on Friday, the latest step in the…
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Reviewing Konnor Griffin’s Five-Game Triple-A Run
Ahead of their home opener at PNC Park on Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced the promotion of Konnor Griffin, baseball’s top prospect, to the big league club. When he suits up for the Pirates at PNC Park, he will become the first teenaged major leaguer since Juan Soto did it in Washington back in 2018.…
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Elmer Söderblom Finally Settling Into Role With Penguins
When the trade deadline rolled around last month, general manager Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins were pretty quiet. Far from the days where Dubas saw himself as a buyer in 2024 and a seller in 2025, Dubas’ third act was a rather silent one. His only move was to acquire forward Elmer Söderblom from…
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Konnor Griffin Records First Extra-Base Hit Despite Third Straight Indianapolis Loss
On Sunday, while the Pittsburgh Pirates were achieving their first win of the season in their series finale against the New York Mets, their Triple-A affiliate walked away still searching for theirs. The Indianapolis Indians fell to the St. Paul Saints 4-1 at Victory Field, suffering a sweep at home to open their season. But…
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Konnor Griffin Records First Multi-Hit Game, RBI In Second Triple-A Start
As the Pittsburgh Pirates were embarking on an 11-inning loss to the New York Mets, their Triple-A affiliate was also in action. Among the lineup for the Indianapolis Indians was Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in all of baseball. He was the leadoff bat against the St. Paul Saints, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota…
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Jake Mangum Shines In Pirates Debut
When the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays were part of a three-team trade, Jake Mangum was an under-the-radar part of the deal. Power hitter Brandon Lowe, who racked up 31 home runs, was the major addition to the Pirate lineup. He was brought in to help a weak batting lineup generate more out of…
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Konnor Griffin Notches First Hit, Scores Both Runs In Triple-A Debut
Last night, the consensus top prospect in all of baseball made his Triple-A debut. Konnor Griffin, the 19-year-old phenom who battled for a spot on the big league roster this past spring, suited up for the Indianapolis Indians, the top minor league affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He took reps at shortstop for the team’s…
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Three Takeaways From Opening Day
Alright, raise your hand if you saw Opening Day going this way for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Put your hand down, you’re lying. And it’s ok, I didn’t expect this either. In his first start of the season, the New York Mets lit Paul Skenes up. Skenes surrendered four hits, five earned runs, two walks, a…
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Three New Pirates I’m Excited To Watch This Season
My my, how far we’ve come. Some of my favorite tweets to see on Twitter/X yesterday was graphics of Opening Day lineups of Pirates past. If you’re someone who enjoys a trip down Memory Lane or “oh yeah, I forgot about that guy” avenue, it was fun to look back on previous starting lineups. But…
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What Is “Success” For Henry Davis At The Plate This Season?
When Paul Skenes takes to the mound this afternoon at Citi Field in New York, his battery mate Henry Davis will catch him behind the plate. For Skenes, the first overall pick in 2023, the ace will embark on his third season in the major leagues. His illustrious young career includes an NL Rookie of…
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The Success Of Mitch Keller Is Vital To This Pirates Season
On Saturday, Mitch Keller will take to the mound for the regular season for the first time in 2026. After Paul Skenes the takes the ball on Opening Day in New York City against the Mets, Keller will follow up in the second of the three-game, four-day series. This year will kick off Keller’s eighth…
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Pirates Boast Best Spring Training Record In Nearly A Decade
On Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates officially wrapped up spring training. Despite ending the spring with a loss and dropping four of their last five in Grapefruit League play, the Pirates finished with a 17-13 record this spring. With a .567 winning percentage, it’s the best spring training mark the Pirates have had since 2017. That…
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Ok, Let’s Talk About Goaltender Interference
On Saturday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Penguins won a 5-4 thriller in the shootout, claiming a massive two points as they try to keep pace in an insanely crowded playoff race. Yes, you read that right: in the shootout. And on almost any other day, the Penguins winning just their second shootout in 12 games would…
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Opinion: Konnor Griffin Starting In Triple-A Is Fine
There were a lot of interesting names to watch at spring training this season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But no name has attracted more attention than Konnor Griffin. The ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and the consensus top prospect in baseball, Griffin was riding a 2025 season that saw him transcend three…
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Opinion: Keep Carmen Mlodzinski In The Bullpen
During the winter, general manager Ben Cherington made several moves in an attempt to help supplement Pittsburgh’s woes on offense. Among other moves in his quest for bats, he signed Ryan O’Hearn to the first multi-year deal the organization handed out in free agency since 2016, landed designated hitter Marcell Ozuna on the cheap, and…
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The Magic Of Spring Training
Major League Baseball doesn’t dominate the sporting world in this country and this region the way it once did. Yes, the game is growing internationally in a phenomenal way. This year’s amazing iteration of the World Baseball Classic is the best possible showcase of that. Back at home, however, the league can’t quite keep up…
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Endy Rodríguez’s Strong Spring Could Make Home Plate A Tough Call For Bucs
Bradenton, FL — The conversation surrounding the Pittsburgh Pirates is a little bit different this spring. For the first time in years, the Pirates might have a bit of a talent surplus on their hands. From newly acquired players like Jhostynxon Garcia, to budding talents like Konnor Griffin, to longtime members of the organization like…
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Can Henry Davis Finally Get Going This Spring?
Bradenton, FL — One of the names that was set to draw a lot of eyes this spring was Henry Davis. You probably know his story by now. The first overall pick in the draft back in 2021, Davis is about to embark on his fifth full season in the Pirates organization. A Louisville product,…
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Kenneth Gainwell’s Free Agency Departure Puts Him On Odd Steelers Historical List
NFL free agency is upon us, and although it didn’t officially start until Wednesday, the sport saw a ton of movement in the days leading up to the new league year. Kenneth Gainwell, the team MVP of the Pittsburgh Steelers from this past season, was not extended a contract by the Steelers and hit the…
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Kaleb Johnson Has A Lot Of Work To Do
Kenneth Gainwell was one of the biggest surprise stories in the NFL this past season. The former Philadelphia Eagle and Super Bowl champion signed a one-year deal worth a little under $2 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, switching allegiances to the other side of Pennsylvania. His signing coincided with the departure of Najee…
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The Last Penguins Game Before Covid
Every year around this time, I can’t help but look back on the whirlwind that was March of 2020. In seemingly the blink of an eye, the entire world flipped upside down as Covid-19 swept through the planet. This new and mysterious virus had so many of us afraid, and suddenly having to experience something…
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Penguins Put It All On The Line In Historic Comeback Win
You really can’t overstate how important Sunday night’s game at PPG Paints Arena was for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The night before, the Penguins lost in yet another shootout, continuing one of the NHL’s most inexplicable patterns as they failed to earn the second point in a 4-3 loss to Philadelphia. That same night, the New…
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Penguins Acquire Elmer Soderblom In Quiet Deadline Day
It was a pretty quiet day on Friday as the NHL trade deadline came and went. Though 34 trades were completed, involving 54 players and 38 draft picks moved, this year’s deadline didn’t have the blockbuster-type deals we saw at this time last year. In Pittsburgh, the phones were also pretty silent. In fact, general…
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Trying To Predict A Possible Evgeni Malkin Suspension After Thursday Night’s Incident
Last night was an ugly loss for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Embarking on their fifth game without the services of their injured captain Sidney Crosby, the Penguins suffered a 5-1 loss on home ice to the surging Sabres, a team who looks destined to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2011. Few…
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The Kyle Nicolas Trade Is A Risk For Both Clubs Involved
Spring training action is well underway, but that hasn’t stopped Major League Baseball front offices from working the phones. Wednesday night, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati conducted a swap, with the Pirates sending right-handed reliever Kyle Nicolas in exchange for infielder/outfielder Tyler Callihan. For the Reds, they’re hoping to bring in a high-leverage arm who can help…
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A Konnor Griffin Extension Is A No-Brainer For Both Sides
The name attracting the most attention down in Florida during spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates is Konnor Griffin. The consensus top prospect in baseball and 19-year-old is battling for a roster spot with the Pirates. He’s already launched three of home runs, and he’s been a little snakebitten in the batting department, dragging down…
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In The Outfield, All Eyes Are On Oneil Cruz
During Wednesday afternoon’s spring training loss down in Florida to the Atlanta Braves, Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz badly misread an outfield hit by Drake Baldwin. As video shows, he overruns the fly ball by about ten feet as it drops near the wall, allowing Baldwin to get all the way to third base. It’s…
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Penguins Play Near Perfect In First Game Back From Olympics, Missing Sidney Crosby
For the first time in three weeks, last night was a hockey night in Pittsburgh. Following the Olympic break, the Penguins got back on the ice at PPG Paints Arena, hosting the visiting New Jersey Devils on their second night of a back-to-back. Making an appearance was Jack Hughes, the scorer of Team USA’s golden…
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Sidney Crosby’s Injury Shouldn’t Alter Penguins’ Playoff Push…Yet
Yesterday, Penguins fans braced themselves for the news they hoped wouldn’t come, but feared would. On Wednesday, the Penguins placed sidney Crosby, captain of Team Canada who was injured at the Winter Olympics on a hit by Czech defenseman Radko Gudas, on injured reserve. Per the team, he is expected to miss at least four…
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Kyle Dubas Starts Trade Deadline Season With A Bang
As NHL players are starting to come back home, things are starting to ramp up back in the league. Kyle Dubas, who was in Milan with Team Canada at the Winter Olympics, wasted no time working the phones once the tournament wrapped up. On Tuesday afternoon, the Penguins traded defenseman Brett Kulak to the Colorado…
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Nick Gonzales Has A Lot On The Line This Spring
Spring training is officially underway, and although we couldn’t watch it on television yesterday, it’s a reminder of just how close the start of the regular season is. Here in Pittsburgh, one of the more interesting names to keep an eye on this spring is Nick Gonzales. He made his season debut in Grapefruit League…
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Looking At Past Standout Spring Training Performances By Pirate Pitchers
The Pittsburgh Pirates are all down in Bradenton, and in just a few days, spring training baseball will officially get underway. Few sports can pull off interesting preseasons, but the arrival of the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are celebrated among baseball fans who endure long winters without the American pastime. For the Pirates, a lot…
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Looking At Past Standout Spring Training Performances By Pirate Batters
The Pittsburgh Pirates are all down in Bradenton, and in just a few days, spring training baseball will officially get underway. Few sports can pull off interesting preseasons, but the arrival of the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are celebrated among baseball fans who endure long winters without the American pastime. For the Pirates, a lot…
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