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  • Islanders’ Baseball Lineage Originates From California Capital

    The Hawaii Islanders represented the Aloha State for a quarter century, and brought an exciting new wrinkle to the realm of organized baseball starting in 1961. But for all the interesting and underrated baseball lore that comes from the 50th and most recent state admitted into the union, it’s important to realize that the biggest…

  • The Mason Miller Debate

    As the Pittsburgh Pirates enjoy a winning record at the All Star Break for the first time since 2016, all attention will soon turn to returning Buctober to PNC Park for the first time in over a decade. Only once during the reign of general manager Ben Cherington have the Pirates “bought” at the trade…

  • Hawaiian Pirates: Introducing The Island Affiliate Of Pittsburgh’s Ballclub

    Over the course of this beautiful sport’s history, baseball’s minor league circuit has taken on many different forms. In the early days, affiliation took on a wild west-type form, with big-league clubs picking up and dropping smaller teams with ease. It wasn’t unheard of for major-league teams to have partnerships with well over a dozen…

  • Looking Back On Recent Pirates Representatives In The Futures Game

    Tonight, right-handed pitcher Seth Hernandez and outfielder Edward Florentino will represent the Pittsburgh Pirates at the All-Star Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. A collection of some of the best young talent in the game, the Futures Game has hosted some eventual stars in Major League Baseball and gives the chance for prospects…

  • Recent Pirates You Maybe Forgot Were All Stars

    In less than a week, baseball’s best will arrive in Philadelphia for the 2026 MLB All Star Game. Originally named as the representative of the Pittsburgh Pirates, starting pitcher Paul Skenes earned his third straight All Star nod. Though, in the first year of his MLB career where he is not starting for the National…

  • A Perfect Start Was Exactly What Jared Jones Needed

    The rotation of the Pittsburgh Pirates has seen some real struggles this season. Paul Skenes has headlined that discussion, as his departure from the Cy Young, NL Rookie of the Year award-winning pitcher into a slightly more average arm has troubled some fans. Mitch Keller, the team’s most struggling starter, has also garnered discussion as…

  • Pirates Can Survive Konnor Griffin Injury

    I don’t know if you know this or not, but there’s a little stipulation in Major League Baseball’s Collective Bargaining Agreement which stipulates that fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates are barred from ever feeling joy. Ok fine, that technically isn’t true. But it certainly feels true. Yesterday, news broke that shortstop Konnor Griffin went down…

  • Presenting The Fifth Avenue Sports Prospect Tournament Awards

    Yesterday, development camp for the Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up with the highly-anticipated prospect tournament. The event featured a round-robin tournament which consisting of three teams: Team Barrasso (wearing yellow), Team Rutherford (wearing white), and Team Murphy (wearing black). It culminated in a 4-3 win for Team Barrasso over Team Rutherford in the final. You can…

  • Development Camp Wraps Up With Barrasso Win In Prospect Tournament

    The 2026 development camp for the Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up Friday with the highly-anticipated prospect tournament, featuring over a dozen Penguin draft picks and some very interesting free agent invitees. Headlining this year’s development camp were Liam and Markus Ruck, Pittsburgh’s first two selections in last week’s NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo. The Penguins selected…

  • Recapping The Penguins’ First Day Of Free Agency

    On the official start of free agency in the National Hockey League, the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Kyle Dubas worked the phones to bring several new names to town. This year’s free agent class was hardly the star-studded lineup of years past, but tons of interesting players were still auctioning off their services in…

  • Ok, Let’s Talk About Paul Skenes

    Last night was a pivotal game for Paul Skenes. The ace of the pitching staff in Pittsburgh has come under scrutiny over the last few months as some of his numbers have slipped. Debate as to whether to worry about Skenes is only growing within the team’s fan base. By major league standards, Skenes had…

  • Jack Johnson’s Contract Is Finally Off The Books In Pittsburgh

    The first day of July marks the beginning of free agency in the National Hockey League, and the start of the official new league year. But this year, July 1st represents something else for the hometown Pittsburgh Penguins. A journey eight years in the making is finally coming to an end. On noon today, the…

  • Trying To Make Sense Of The Parker Wotherspoon Trade

    On the eve of NHL free agency, the Pittsburgh Penguins swung a deal to acquire defenseman Kaedan Korczak from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for defenseman Parker Wotherspoon. Unlike some of the trades made earlier this offseason, like picking up forward Hendrix Lapierre for a few mid-round picks and swapping depth defenseman Jack St.…

  • Three Non-Tendered RFAs Who Penguins Could Seek Out In Free Agency

    With the official start of free agency in the National Hockey League just a day away, a fresh new wave of players just hit the market to try and find a buyer for their services. Yesterday was the deadline for teams to tender qualifying offers for their pending restricted free agents. While most pending RFAs…

  • Breaking Down The Penguins’ 2026 Development Camp Roster

    This morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins finalized their development camp roster. A group of over 30 players will take to the ice in three teams at the team’s practice facility up in Cranberry. Development camp starts today and runs through Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Four days of skating, practice, and goaltending sessions all…

  • Son Of Manon Rhéaume, First Woman To Play In NHL, Joins Penguins For Development Camp

    As development camp opens for the Pittsburgh Penguins at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, dozens of draftees, prospects, and hopefuls will take to the ice for a five-day camp which culminates with the prospect tournament at noon on Friday. This year’s camp roster is headlined by first-round picks like Will Horcoff (though…

  • Opinion: Pirates Have No Choice But To Buy At Deadline

    Last night was the same movie fans in Pittsburgh have seen time and time again: a rollercoaster, back-and-forth game that ultimately ended in heart break, the same way so many others have. The pitching was rocky; starter Jared Jones had another subpar start, giving up four runs (three earned) in less than five innings of…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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,…