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  • How Should The Pirates Handle Bubba Chandler For The Rest Of The Season?

    The moment so many of us have been waiting for in Pittsburgh finally happened Friday night, when the top pitching prospect in all of baseball finally made his Major League Baseball debut for the Pirates. Finally taking to a major league mound, Bubba Chandler tossed four scoreless innings, holding his opponents to only two hits…

  • Ok, So…Should The Pirates Try To Re-Sign Tommy Pham?

    Tommy Pham is one of the more interesting Pirates of our time. A man who was hailed as the marquee offseason signing by a deeply unpopular general manager in Ben Cherington, Pham didn’t have it easy when he came to Pittsburgh. There was a lot riding on his shoulders, probably more than even Pham at…

  • Johan Oviedo Looks Much Better In Bounce Back Big League Start

    This was the major league return that we all wanted to see from Johan Oviedo. As the Pittsburgh Pirates took two of three from the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, the story line from the series finale was the pitching performance of Oviedo, who threw five strong innings en route to a 2-1 Pirates victory. Just…

  • Crazy Eights: Karl Joseph

    When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…

  • Why Now Is Actually A Good Time To Bring Colin Holderman Back

    On Friday, the Pirates recalled two pitchers in a bullpen swap, bringing up lefty Evan Sisk to replace the DFA’d lefty Ryan Borucki, and righty Colin Holderman to replace the optioned right-hander Cam Sanders. For Holderman, the rough journey of the last year and change culminates with one more appearance at the major league level.…

  • Crazy Eights: Melvin Ingram

    When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…

  • Pirates Should Explore Moving Andrew Heaney To The Bullpen

    Andrew Heaney hasn’t had it easy in Pittsburgh this year. The one-year free agent signing back in the winter struggled again Monday night as the Pirates lost 7-1. The left-hander surrendered nine hits, five earned runs, and a pair of home runs, only lasting four innings and throwing 90 pitches. It was the latest in…

  • Is It Time To Move On From Alexander Canario?

    Alexander Canario did not start the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he was their first in-season addition. The Pirates acquired Canario from New York after the Mets designated him for assignment. For Canario, it was his third MLB organization in a matter of months. After the Chicago Cubs traded him to New York, also…

  • Could Braxton Ashcraft Grow Into A Starter’s Role In Pittsburgh?

    Braxton Ashcraft has blossomed big league arm since receiving his late-May promotion, even if his workload has changed since he came up to Pittsburgh. Used mostly as a reliever in the big leagues, it was the first time Ashcraft had been routinely brought out from the bullpen in his professional career. On the farm, Ashcraft…

  • Crazy Eights: Josh Scobee

    When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…

  • Talking Rafael Flores And How He Impacts The Catching Position

    The trade deadline was an almost complete disaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates and general manager Ben Cherington. Whether it was seemingly panic-trading closer David Bednar, selling off starter Bailey Falter for almost no reason, or keeping three of the pending free agents past the deadline, an already unpopular Cherington drew even more ire from an…

  • Don’t Read Too Much Into Johan Oviedo’s Rough Rteurn To Major Leagues

    Before Monday night’s home game vs the San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates officially ended the rehab assignment of right-handed starter Johan Oviedo and reinstated him from the 60-Day IL. Oviedo pitched 177.2 innings for the Pirates in 2023, putting up a 4.31 ERA, 1.373 WHIP, and 1.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The righty was expected to…

  • Crazy Eights: Tommy Maddox

    When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…

  • Was There A Market For Andrew Heaney?

    The Andrew Heaney era in Pittsburgh will live on. Well, for a little bit longer, at least. The 34-year-old starter who was expected to be on the move on Thursday’s trade deadline ended up staying put in Pittsburgh, to the surprise of a many fans. In his first start post-deadline, Heaney went 3.1 innings in…

  • The Trade Deadline Was An Utter Disaster For The Pirates

    Thursday was a defining moment for general manager Ben Cherington and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Amidst another disappointing season and several attractive trade assets to work with, Cherington had the pressure on him to try and turn around the ever-worsening negative reputation he has garnered in this town. Instead, his work at the MLB trade deadline…

  • Reflecting On The Ke’Bryan Hayes Trade And His Time In Pittsburgh

    “Ke’Bryan is the type of core player who is a winner on the field, a leader in the clubhouse and engaged in our community. He is the type of player who makes a true difference in the direction of our organization. “Today isn’t about a contract, its length, or the terms. Today is about our…

  • Johan Oviedo’s Rehab Tour Makes Final Stop In Indianapolis

    With the trade deadline taking place tomorrow, some changes are expected to be made to the starting rotation in Pittsburgh. Lefty pending free agent Andrew Heaney is expected to be dealt within the following hours, and longtime Pirate right-hander Mitch Keller’s name is still headlining trade rumors. But regardless of the return the Pirates might…

  • Four Triple-A Pitchers Who Could Come Up For The Pirates After The Deadline

    With the MLB trade deadline just a few days away, the Pirates are expected to deal several players off their major league roster. Their pitchers have drawn particular interest. From starters like Mitch Keller and Andrew Heaney to bullpen arms like Dennis Santana and David Bednar, a lot of change could be coming to Pittsburgh’s…

  • Four Triple-A Position Players Who Could Come Up For The Pirates After The Deadline

    With the MLB trade deadline just a few days away, the Pirates are expected to deal several players off their major league roster. With all those trades, a chunk of roster spots are suddenly going to open, allowing for some current farmhands down in Triple-A Indianapolis to make the jump to the major leagues and…

  • Tommy Pham Is Doing Everything He Can Now To Repay The Pirates

    Tommy Pham’s season could not feature two more polarizing looks. From one of the biggest free agent flops in recent time to a scorching hot hitter, Pham has had one of the weirder 2025 seasons in the sport. In his first 50 games as a Pirate, Pham slashed an abysmal .194/.278/.219 with a grand total…

  • Crazy Eights: Elmer Kolberg

    When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…

  • Arturs Silovs Creates A Good Problem For Penguins

    Last week, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a surprise trade with the Vancouver Canucks when they acquired goaltender Arturs Silovs in exchange for Chase Stillman and a fourth round pick in 2027. If you don’t know who Stillman is, I don’t blame you. He was acquired in a deadline deal with New Jersey, where the Penguins…

  • Four Bold Steelers Predictions For 2025

    Today, training camp opens at St. Vincent College for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After an unconventional offseason and a lot of new faces around the team, their work in camp will be the first time to see all of the new pieces come together. There’s a lot riding on this season, believe it or not. While…

  • The Pittsburgh Pirates Are Officially A Losing Franchise

    As the final out was recorded on Sunday afternoon at PNC Park, the loss sealed history being made in the worst possible way for the Pittsburgh Pirates. With their 7-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox yesterday, the Pirates officially fell under .500 as a franchise. Their all-time record now has more losses than wins,…

  • A Resilient Fellow: Could An Unknown Arm Contribute Down The Stretch For The Pirates?

    There’s a lot of names within the farm system of the Pittsburgh Pirates worth keeping an eye on. While the organization has utterly failed at their most important job, keeping the major league club competitive, their prospect pool is a fascinating deep dive. But it will take you going pretty far down the list to…

  • Crazy Eights: Ev Fisher

    When quarterback Aaron Rodgers first signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, there was intrigue over what jersey number he would wear. For 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers wore No. 12. But that number has a rich history in Pittsburgh with the Steelers. While not being officially retired by the organization, no one has worn No.…

  • This Penguins Team Isn’t Nearly Bad Enough

    It’s been a fairly uneventful offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins so far. Though the team had an an uncharacteristically large draft class, including three first round picks, the Penguins have operated a lull-you-to-sleep kind of summer. Anthony Mantha headlined a dull free agency class, and the Penguins have only made three trades since the start…

  • Evaluating Cam Devanney And His Chance With The Pirates

    The summer sales event in Pittsburgh has begun. Embattled general manager Ben Cherington made his first trade in what looks to be a busy July for the Pirates. On Wednesday, the team traded Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Triple-A infielder Cam Devanney. Frazier was signed by the Pirates in the…

  • Should The Penguins Entertain A Play For Patrik Laine?

    While no one knows exactly how many moves are left for Pittsburgh this offseason, we all know Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas isn’t done. After a draft and July 1st spent fully in seller’s mode, next season looks to be pretty rough in terms of on-ice performance. But backstage, the building blocks of the…

  • Oneil Cruz’s Home Run Derby Appearance Serves As A Win For Pirates Fans

    Oneil Cruz may not have won the Home Run Derby Monday night, but he put up the most electric showing of any batter at Truist Park in Atlanta. Cruz’s run to the semifinals put his name on the Major League Baseball map and, if even for a moment, portrayed the Pirates’ name in a positive…

  • Ben Cherington Stuck To His Strength At The Draft. That’s A Good Thing

    With the sixth overall pick in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates and general manager Ben Cherington selected Seth Hernandez, a flamethrowing right-hander from Corona High School in California. Hernandez has topped out at 100 miles per hour on the mound this season, though he usually sits in the mid-90s with an…

  • Matt Dumba Will Put The Kyle Dubas “Trade And Flip” Strategy To The Test

    Matt Dumba is now a Pittsburgh Penguin. In a trade announced by the club on Thursday, the Penguins have received Dumba and a second round pick in 2028 from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok. Kolyachonok was a waiver claim by the Penguins midway through last season from Utah. He played 12…

  • Vasily Ponomarev’s Departure Puts More Emphasis On Ville Koivunen’s Development

    A little over a year after the initial trade, what the Pittsburgh Penguins have from the original Jake Guentzel deal with the Carolina Hurricanes is very different than what they had on the morning of March 8th, 2024. The conditions on a fifth round pick the Penguins acquired were never met, resulting in Carolina keeping…

  • Giving Out The Fifth Avenue Sports Development Camp Awards

    Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up their development camp with the annual prospect tournament. The event featured four total games, culminating in the championship between Teams Stevens and Patrick, where Stevens won it. You can read a recap of each game here. Last year, I named five players to awards for their performances during the…

  • Team Stevens Claims Championship At Penguins’ Prospect Tournament

    On the final day of development camp, the Pittsburgh Penguins held their annual prospect tournament, featuring three teams and almost 50 players at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry. Each game was played at 4-on-4 with a 25-minute running clock, and a shootout to determine in a winner if a game ended regulation in…

  • Why The Pirates Must Tread Carefully About Trading Away Pitching

    With the July 31st trade deadline looming, rumors are starting to fly and articles are running wild about what could happen between now and then. For the Pittsburgh Pirates, general manager Ben Cherington is expected to field calls on a large amount of players currently on their major league roster. But while position players like…

  • Pirates Pitching Farmhands Dominate On Independence Day

    Pitching was not a strong suit for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, as they lost in Seattle on Independence Day to the Mariners 6-0. Pirates pitching allowed four total home runs to Seattle. Starter Bailey Falter allowed three; he was taken deep by Cal Raleigh, MLB’s home run leader, who increased his total to 35,…

  • Opinion: Before You Trade Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Try To Extend Him

    The Major League Baseball trade deadline is just a few weeks away, and the Pittsburgh Pirates and general manager Ben Cherington are fielding calls about a lot of their players from now until July 31st. From rental free agents like Andrew Heaney and Tommy Pham, starting pitchers like Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter, and relievers…

  • Anthony Mantha And The Future Return He Will Bring

    After a quiet and boring July 1st, the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Kyle Dubas brought in what is probably their best free agency signing so far. On Wednesday, the team announced the signing of forward Anthony Mantha to a one-year contract. Mantha’s deal carries a $2.5 million cap hit and up to $2 million…

  • Penguins’ July 1st Approach Reaffirms Season Plans

    On a day where well over 100 contracts were signed and nearly $700 million was handed out, the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Kyle Dubas had a very quiet day. Last year’s July 1st was pretty boring, but it still saw the team sign Matt Grzelcyk, Anthony Beauvillier, and Blake Lizotte, all notable NHL names.…

  • Breaking Down The Penguins’ 2025 Development Camp Roster

    On Monday, shortly after the Pittsburgh Penguins held their introductory press conference for their draft class in 2025, the team also released the roster for the upcoming development camp. Starting on July 3rd, development camp will be fans’ first chance to see a lot of new Penguins in any official on-ice activities. The first four…

  • A Hot Streak On The Hot Corner: The Recent Rise Of Ke’Bryan Hayes

    It was a great weekend for the Pittsburgh Pirates. When your baseball team is bad, there aren’t a lot of good days to be had watching them. But every now and then, your team finds some magic, and for a few days, they are the best entertainment out there. Sometimes it’s about your team catching…

  • This Draft Will Define The Kyle Dubas Era

    With one of the weakest prospect pools in the entire National Hockey League, the 2025 NHL Draft served as a major opportunity to help replenish the organization and start to build up the organization from the best source. Yes, this was his third draft in charge in Pittsburgh, but this was his first real draft…

  • Ronny Simon Deserves A Shot With The Pirates

    Let’s be honest. This season is just about lost. On an off day before a six-game home stand that sees them host the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates sit at 32-50. The trade deadline is just over a month away, and soon the roster will likely be carrying multiple players…

  • Penguins Draft Pick Primer: How They Acquired/Lost Each Pick In The 2025 Draft

    For the first time in quite a while, the upcoming NHL Draft will actually be of great interest to the Penguins. Entering his third draft in charge, Kyle Dubas has 11 total picks to work with in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, giving him plenty of flexibility to use as little or as many as…

  • The Pirates Really Missed Nick Gonzales

    Before the season started, I penned a column where I claimed that Nick Gonzales was going to be the X-factor for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025. Gonzales made his major league debut during the 2023 season, but his breakout came the following year. In 2024, he slashed .270/.311/.398 in 94 games, with seven home runs,…

  • How Liover Peguero Can Get Another Look At The Major League Level

    Liover Peguero is a name that Pirates fans don’t hear that much about anymore. Once considered a decent option in Pittsburgh’s farm system, he has since faded away into a mainstay at Triple-A Indianapolis. Like many prospects who have played major league games for the Pirates in recent years, Peguero was not originally developed in…

  • Carmen Mlodzinski: Bulk Reliever?

    As departures and injuries start mounting up for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the organization is looking for someone in their bullpen to step up and serve in a bulk reliever role. That spot previously belonged to left-hander Joey Wentz, who opened the season in Pittsburgh’s bullpen. Wentz was a waiver claim towards the end of the…

  • Letting Ben Cherington Conduct The Trade Deadline Would Be A Mistake

    The MLB trade deadline is just a little over a month away, and as the losses continue to pile up for the Pirates, the odds get higher every day that the team will head into the deadline with a seller’s mindset. That’s disappointing for almost any major league team. It’s infuriating for a team six…

  • Will The Pirates Let Billy Cook?

    The Pittsburgh Pirates made another roster move today, recalling Billy Cook from Triple-A Indianapolis to the major league roster. Cook was acquired from Baltimore by trade last season by the Pirates, as general manager Ben Cherington continued to stock Indianapolis with names in the hopes one of them could break through. He, along with Nick…

  • Dauri Moreta’s Rehab Journey: What Pirates Fans Need To Know

    In a pair of roster moves announced on Monday, the Pirates designated catcher Brett Sullivan for assignment and reinstated reliever Dauri Moreta from his rehab assignment, optioning him to Triple-A Indianapolis. Moreta was a big part of Pittsburgh’s bullpen two years ago. After being acquired in a trade that sent Kevin Newman Cincinnati’s way, Moreta…

  • Analyzing Isaac Mattson’s Recent Run Of Success With Pirates

    Pitching is not the issue for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their starting rotation is one of the best in baseball, finding ways to keep them in almost every game. The records of most of their starters don’t reflect things they need to improve on, rather they show just how let down the arms have been by…

  • Why I’m A Big Fan Of Boko Imama Coming Back

    A fan favorite candidate is back in Pittsburgh! On Friday, the Penguins announced they re-signed forward Boko Imama to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K at the NHL level. Imama signed a very similar deal last season to come to the Penguins organization. Now on his second contract with the team, Imama’s cap hit is…

  • What Went Wrong With Erik Karlsson In Pittsburgh?

    This summer will mark the third year of the Kyle Dubas era in Pittsburgh. After two seasons that saw him take wildly different approaches to construction, this offseason has already seen the most change. After Mike Sullivan and the team parted ways, the longtime Penguins coach was replaced by Dan Muse, a first-time NHL head…

  • Four Predictable Predictions For The Penguins This Offseason

    The offseason gets closer and closer every day, and the content Christmas known as July 1st is now only a few weeks away. For the Pittsburgh Penguins and general manager Kyle Dubas, they are entering a very interesting offseason. The organization has a new head coach, the beginnings of a youth movement after top prospects…

  • The Pirates Hate Mitch Keller

    Mitch Keller is a pretty league average pitcher. He has an ERA of 4.15, just 14 points above the MLB average. He has a WHIP of 1.275, just better than the league average. And he has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.25, 70 points clear of the league average. But perhaps most stunningly, Keller is tied…

  • Give David Bednar A Ton Of Credit

    David Bednar’s last 16 months have been a complete rollercoaster. In 2024, Bednar was coming off his second straight All Star appearance and a season that saw him record career-best 2.00 ERA, with 80 strikeouts in 67.1 innings. He led the National League with 39 saves on a team that finished ten games under .500.…

  • Braxton Ashcraft Picks Up First Career Win As Pirates Sweep Phillies

    Braxton Ashcraft has been a starting pitcher his whole career. He was drafted out of high school as a starting pitcher. When he made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2018, it was as a starting pitcher. When he established himself as one of the better prospects within the Pirates organization, it…

  • Isaac Mattson Shines For Pirates In Unusual Appearance

    Life comes at you fast. So does baseball. Isaac Mattson got the call earlier on Saturday that he was back in the big leagues. The right-handed reliever had been with the Pirates a few weeks ago, pitching in three innings before he was quickly shuttled back down to the farm. Now, in his second big…

  • Vasily Ponomarev’s KHL Departure Marks A Missed Opportunity For Both Sides

    What was first rumored now appears to be official. Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Vasily Ponomarev is heading back to Russia, signing a deal with the KHL for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Reports surfaced a few days ago that Ponomarev might head back to his homeland after a deal in the KHL saw Spartak trade his KHL…