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Penguins Pick Up Interesting Bottom-Six Forward In Hendrix Lapierre
Though it’s not quite on the level of a Brady Tkachuk, William Eklund, or Jordan Kyrou, the Pittsburgh Penguins did make an addition to their forward corps yesterday. General manager Kyle Dubas dealt some of his team’s extra draft capital to acquire forward Hendrix Lapierre from the division-rival Capitals yesterday, sending a 2027 third-round pick…
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Pirates Reach Halfway Point With Best Record Since 2015
During a sunny afternoon at PNC Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates took the series from the Seattle Mariners, capping off the three-game tilt with a 5-1 win. Continuing their rebound from a frustrating series opener loss on Tuesday, Pittsburgh’s second straight win was powered by another promising pitching performance by right-hander Bubba Chandler and aided by…
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Penguins Could Buy Low On Patrik Laine In Free Agency
On Monday, I wrote about Eeli Tolvanen, and how the pending free agent forward coming out of Seattle is a prime target for general manager Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tolvanen is a better bet from a predictability standpoint. Based on his track record from his days in Seattle, you more or less know…
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Connor Zary Is The Exact Archetype Kyle Dubas Acquires
This is one of the craziest pre-draft weeks in the history of the NHL. In the last few days alone, we’ve seen Brady Tkachuk, Simon Nemec, Jordan Kyrou, Bowen Byram, William Eklund, and Alex Tuch, all moved. With two days left until the first round of the NHL Draft on Friday, who knows what other…
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Eeli Tolvanen Fits The Bill As Penguins Free Agency Target
The offseason in the National Hockey League is well underway. The draft is less than a week out, the trade market is already piping hot, and free agency is just around the corner. Unfortunately for the chaos agents out there, this year’s pending free agency class is rather thin. However, there are still plenty of…
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Penguins Have Surprisingly Few Picks In Upcoming Draft
In less than a week, the hockey world will gather at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. For the Pittsburgh Penguins, it will mark the fourth draft conducted under general manager Kyle Dubas. This summer, his team is coming into the draft following their first playoff appearance in the Dubas…
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Joey Bart Trade Proves Endy Rodríguez Rose To The Occasion
Just over a month ago, catcher Endy Rodríguez had his biggest chance yet. And after missing all but 36 professional games over the last two years, turning 26 years old, and in a crowded catching position, one could argue it might have been his last. Following the injury to Joey Bart back in May, the…
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Taking On Elias Pettersson Would Be Biggest Gamble Yet
Now that the Stanley Cup has been awarded, the offseason is officially underway. The NHL Draft is just over a week away, and the start of free agency isn’t long after that. Trade activity is already picking up, with Nashville and Colorado, and San Jose and Buffalo already making trades. And if you listen to…
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Carolina’s Stanley Cup Win Marks Five Straight Years Where A Former Penguin Has Won
In the sixth and deciding game of one of the most thrilling Stanley Cup Finals in recent memory, Carolina captain and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal was the first to hoist Lord Stanley’s fabled mug as his Hurricanes won their second title in franchise history. Staal finished the postseason run with eight goals and…
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The Problem With Having Multiple Bulk Relievers
The Pittsburgh Pirates are teetering on the edge of a complete spiral. Following a sweep on the road in Atlanta and dropping two of three while hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pirates opened Bucco Luau weekend with an 8-3 loss at the hands of the Miami Marlins. Stop me if you’ve heard this before,…
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Penguins’ Lack Of Clauses Gives Them A Ton Of Flexibility In Trade Market
Dylan Larkin is the biggest non-Stanley Cup Final storyline in the NHL right now. The disgruntled Detroit Red Wing reportedly requested a trade last week, fed up after the organization now holds the league’s longest active playoff drought. Larkin has right to feel frustrated over Detroit’s lack of success, but he’s also put the Red…
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Pirates Have To Give Tyler Callihan An Extended Run To Step Up
Last night was one of the most energizing, incredible, and important wins of the season for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dare I say it was the most important win of the season for a Pirates team that desperately, bitterly needed one. Pittsburgh came into the Wednesday night on a four-game skid, having suffered a sweep in…
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Pirates Continue To Mash Against Shohei Ohtani
Baseball is a weird, weird sport. With the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers splitting the first two of a three-game series, the rubber match is set for Thursday at PNC Park. This series has been bonkers so far. A ten-run seventh inning by the Dodgers powered Los Angeles to a game one win, while…
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Carson Fulmer’s On-Again, Off-Again Relationship With Pirates Takes Another Pause
Like that one couple you know who it seems is always breaking up, then getting back together, then breaking up again, Carson Fulmer and the Pittsburgh Pirates are taking some time apart. News broke yesterday that the Pirates had traded the right-hander to the Seattle Mariners organization. Fulmer is the second pitcher the Pirates have…
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Regarding The Pirates And Tarik Skubal
Tarik Skubal’s time in Detroit might be coming to an end soon. The left-handed ace is in the final year of his contract, and with the Tigers staring down a 27-39 record and a fourth-place spot in the AL Central. His résumé speaks for itself. Skubal is a two-time Cy Young winner, two-time ERA leader,…
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Can The Penguins Get Involved For Dylan Larkin?
Hours before the puck dropped for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, news broke out of Detroit regarding their longtime captain Dylan Larkin. Per reporting from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Larkin has requested a trade from the Red Wings. This is all still very new, and according to Friedman’s original report no one involved…
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Pirates Have To Hope Losing Joe La Sorsa Doesn’t Haunt Them
The Pittsburgh Pirates desperately need bullpen help, but if they are looking to their Triple-A affiliate for answers, they will have to cross a name off that list. The team is reportedly trading reliever Joe La Sorsa to the Boston Red Sox. In exchange, the Pirates are getting everyone’s s favorite: cash considerations. The move…
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It’s Time For A Bullpen Trade
Wednesday night was nothing short of a disaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Leading 8-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Pirates would walk out of Daikin Park with their heads hung low, having blown a five-run lead and eventually losing 11-9. It was yet another loss attributed to the bullpen, an issue…
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How The Garrett Trade And Herbig Extension Could Influence The Steelers
It’s been a busy few days in the world of the NFL. On Monday, Pittsburgh’s divisional rivals over in Cleveland made the biggest deal of the offseason, trading the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for outside linebacker Jared Verse (a first-round selection back in 2024), a…
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Ex-Penguins In The Stanley Cup Final
We started with 16 teams. Now, we’re down to two. After one of the shorter Conference Finals rounds in recent NHL history, the Vegas Golden Knights will meet the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final, with puck drop for Game 1 tonight at 8pm in Raleigh. Vegas pulled off an incredible upset over Colorado,…
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What A Difference A Year Makes
On May 31st, 2025, the Pittsburgh Pirates secured an upset 5-0 win on the road in San Diego against the Padres. Andrew McCutchen hit a home run, four Pirates had multi-hit games, and a trio of bullpen arms helped keep the slate clean after left-handed starter Bailey Falter went over six strong innings. It was…
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Who Is Tyler Callihan? How An Unknown Pirate Has Appeared In Three Straight Games
Thursday night at PNC Park, Nick Gonzales opened the third of a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs batting seventh and playing third base. He flied out to center in his first at-bat of the game, and had a quiet three innings over on the hot corner. But Gonzales, who was dealing with left knee…
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Taking A Look At The Rehab Stint Of Jared Jones Ahead Of MLB Return
It’s official. Tonight, Jared Jones takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first time in 20 months, returning to Major League Baseball after recovering from UCL surgery. The 24-year-old, who made 22 starts in his rookie year, pitched to a 4.14 ERA, 1.192 WHIP, and 3.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio with a 6-8 record. Following…
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How A Brisbane Big Leaguer Is Making An Impact In The Bullpen
On Sunday, I wrote about the incredible rise of Esmerlyn Valdez, the 22-year-old power hitter who was playing in High-A ball a year ago at this time and now finds himself earning a major league salary. Valdez, by the way, hit his second home run of the season and first at PNC Park in front…
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Esmerlyn Valdez’s Ascension Marks Major Win For Pirates Development
On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Pirates were able to salvage a trip north of the border, winning the final of a three-game series in Toronto 4-1. While both the starting pitcher (Mitch Keller) and bullpen had a rare day of excelling in unison, Pittsburgh’s win was powered in part by the first big-league home run for…
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Wave Of Young Penguins Shining In Calder Cup Playoffs
Last night, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins thrashed the Springfield Thunderbirds 8-1, taking the five-game series and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. They will await the winner of the North Division Finals, where the Toronto Marlies and Cleveland Monsters will need an all-important fifth game to decide that series. For the WBS Penguins, the American Hockey…
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How The Penguins Can Take Advantage Of A Cap-Strapped Sabres Team
The Buffalo Sabres are coming off their best season in 15 years. After snapping the NHL’s longest playoff drought, winning the Atlantic Division, and making it all the way to overtime in game seven of the second round, the Sabres have a ton to be proud of. They also have just as much to look…
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Despite Loss, Bubba Chandler Takes Major Strides
Coming into a three-game series north of the border in Toronto, Bubba Chandler faced one of the biggest starts in his young major league career. The right-hander had hit a definite rough patch. After a steady first four outings in 2026, Chandler had limped his way through his last five starts, posting a 6.95 ERA…
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Maple Leafs Forward Could Be Under-The-Radar Target For Penguins This Summer
It’s a rather quiet time in the offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The NHL Draft is over two months away. Free agency is past even that. While the Penguins have some pending free agents who require a decision one way or the other, there’s not a lot of news on the front of Evgeni Malkin…
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What Does Aaron Rodgers’ Return Mean For Mason Rudolph?
After months of waiting, what many in the football world thought would happen finally has. Saturday night, news broke that Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal to return to the Steelers. His contract, reportedly worth up to $25 million, is a steep increase from the $13.65 million deal he signed with the Steelers back in…
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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…