Let's Go Bucs! A Pittsburgh Pirates Rebuild

[TribeTown]

NLCS Game #3 – October 5 – Pittsburgh 7, Milwaukee 0

Masayoshi Oshima's 3-run home run (a 358-foot shot to right) in the 3rd gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead. The Buccos scored again in the 4th on Khalil Watson's fielder's choice. Max Anderson and Watson singled home runs in the 6th.

Shane Bieber was magnificent, pitching 6 shutout innings. He gave up just 2 hits, walked 1, and struck out 12.

WP: S. Bieber (2-0)
LP: T. Walker (1-1)
SV: J. Urquidy (1)
Pittsburgh leads the series 3-0

[TribeTown]

NLDS Game 4 – October 6 – Pittsburgh 5, Milwaukee 2

Eduardo Garcia took Angel Zerpa deep in the bottom of the 1st inning to give the Brewers a 1-0 lead. Jeferson Espinal singled home another run in the 2nd.

Corbin Carroll singled to lead off the 6th and went to 3rd on Khalil Watson's single. Carroll scored when Ronaldo Hernandez threw the ball into centerfield when Watson stole 2nd. Starlin Aguliar followed with a single up the middle through a drawn-in infield to tie the game. After Henry Davis walked and Max Anderson struck out, Drew Romo doubled down the right field line to put the Pirates on top 4-2.

Carroll singled, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on Watson's single, and scored on Masayoshi Oshima's sacrifice fly to the wall in left.

Zerpa pitched to 2 batters in the 7th before leaving with a runner on and 1 out. J. B. Bukauskas came on and got Ramon Laureano to hit into 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Nick Robertson pitched a 1-2-3 8th. Yerry De Los Santos retired the side in the 9th. James Triantos lined out to 2B Khalil Watson to end the game, sending the Pirates to the World Series for the first time since 1979.

Khalil Watson was named NLCS MVP after batting .500 with 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in.

WP: A. Zerpa (1-0)
LP: A. Uribe (0-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (4)
Pittsburgh wins the series 4-0.

Baltimore swept Cleveland in the ALCS to advance to their 1st World Series since 1983. It is a rematch of the 1979 series, which Pittsburgh won 4 games to 3.

[TribeTown]

World Series Game #1 – October 12 – Baltimore 13, Pittsburgh 5

Colby Mayo tagged Shane Bieber for a 2-run home run in the top of the 1st to put the Orioles ahead early. The Orioles scored again in the 2nd when Khalil Watson committed an error at shortstop.

The Pirates had 2 runners on with 1 out in the bottom of the inning, but neither Watson or Enrique Bradford could come up with a hit to get a run home.

John Rhodes blasted a 2-run home run down the right field line to make it 5-0 in the top of the 3rd.

Corbin Carroll walked to lead off the bottom of the inning. Kyren Paris followed with a double into the gap in right. Masayoshi Oshima then drove a Grayson Rodriguez fastball into the right field stands to make it a 5-3 game. Carroll doubled home a run in the 4th to draw the Buccos to within 1.

Yoan Moncada came through with a bases-loaded single in the top of the 5th to score 2 runs and extend Baltimore's lead to 7-4. Victor Robles followed with another double, scoring 2 more Orioles.

Jesus Sanchez went yard with 2 out in the bottom of the 5th.

D. L. Hall came on to pitch the 6th. He walked the bases loaded before surrendering a grand slam to Adley Rutchman.

WP: X. Guacache (1-0)
LP: S. Bieber (2-1)
Baltimore leads the series 1-0.

[TribeTown]

World Series Game #2 – October 13 – Pittsburgh 5, Baltimore 4

The Orioles took an early 1-0 lead on John Rhodes' sacrifice fly in the 1st inning. Henry Davis tied it with a bomb to left in the bottom of the 2nd. Jackson Merrill's home run to lead off the bottom of the 3rd gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead. A Quinn Priester wild pitch allowed Colby Mayo to score the tying run in the 4th.

Masayoshi Oshima drove a line drive over the left field wall to lead off the 5th as the Buccos took a 3-2 lead.

J. B. Bukauskas relieved Priester to start the 6th. With 2 on and 2 out, Yoan Moncada doubled to tie the game. Gabriel Arias greeted reliever Emerson Hancock with an RBI single to give Baltimore the lead.

Starlin Aguilar tripled with 1 out in the bottom of the inning and Jesus Sanchez followed with a double down the 3B line to tie the game again.

What a job by Emerson Hancock! He threw 2.1 shutout innings allowing 2 hits and striking out 3.

Henry Davis was safe at 1st on Gabriel Arias' error with 2 outs in the bottom of the 8th. The Pirates took advantage when Drew Romo drove Tyler Burch's next pitch to the wall in right-center. Davis scored from 1st to put Pittsburgh on top, 5-4.

Yerry De Los Santos pitched the bottom of the 9th. Victor Robles flew out to the wall in left. Pinch hitter Cade Hunter flew out to Corbin Carroll in right. Gunner Henderson flew out to center. The Pirates won their 1st World Series Game since October 17, 1979.

WP: E. Hancock (1-0)
LP: T. Burch (0-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (5)
The series is tied 1-1.

[TribeTown]

World Series Game #3 – October 15 – Pittsburgh 4, Baltimore 3

Coby Mayo made a diving catch in right field to rob Starlin Aguliar of a double and an RBI in the top of the 1st inning.

Corbin Carroll doubled to lead of the 3rd and Brendan Rodgers followed with a 395 foot blast to left-centerfield to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

The Orioles threatened in the bottom of the 3rd with runners at 2nd and 3rd and 1 out, but Carter Smith pitched his way out of the jam without allowing a run.

Rodgers doubled home Carroll in the 5th to make it 3-0. Henry Davis hit a sacrifice fly to score Rodgers later in the inning.

The Orioles scored 3 times in the bottom of the 5th to get back into the game.

The bullpen pitched well, holding on to the lead. Yerry De Los Santos came on in the 9th. Carroll made a spectacular diving catch to rob Gabriel Arias of a base hit to start the inning. De Los Santos then retired Gunnar Henderson on a fly ball to deep left that looked like a home runs off the bat. De Los Santos struck out Cole Cummings looking to end the game.

WP: C. Smith (2-1)
LP: N. Crismatt (1-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (6)
Pittsburgh leads the series 2-1.

[TribeTown]

World Series Game #4 – October 16 – Baltimore 4, Pittsburgh 3

Shane Bieber and former Pirate Justin Slaten were locked in a scoreless tie until Drew Romo ripped a Slaten pitch down the right field line leading off the 5th inning to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Corbin Carroll beat out an infield single, stole second, and scored on a Brendan Rodgers single to right.

The Orioles threatened in the bottom of the inning, but Bieber pitched out of it.

Enrique Bradfield singled to lead off the 7th, stole 2nd, went to 3rd on Adley Rutchman's throwing error, and scored on a Rodgers single to left.

Nick Mears pitched a scoreless 7th. Nick Robertson came on to pitch the 8th and gave up a single and then a 2-run home run to right by Gunnar Henderson to make it 3-2. Robertson retired Cole Cummings but then John Rhodes singled. With the dangerous Coby Mayo coming to the plate, the Pirates turned to Yerry De Los Santos. Mayo singled and Rutchman walked to.load the bases. Peyton Stovall hit a fly ball to center deep enough to score Rhodes and tie the game. De Los Santos retired Yoan Moncada to end the inning.

Emerson Hancock entered the game to pitch the bottom of the 9th. He retired the 1st 2 batters, but then Gabriel Arias and Henderson hit back-to-back singles. Cole Cummings then hit a single down past Starlin Aguilar down the 1B line to give Baltimore a come from behind, walk-off win.

WP: T. Burch (1-1)
LP: E. Hancock (1-1)
Series tied at 2.

[TribeTown]

World Series Game #5 – October 17 – Baltimore 5, Pittsburgh 4 (10 innings)

After Grayson Rodriguez retired Corbin Carroll to lead off the game, Brendan Rodgers and Masayoshi Oshima hit back-to-back singles. Starlin Aguliar followed with a single to center to score Rodgers and give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. After Rodriguez threw a wild pitch, Rodgers scored on a Jesus Sanchez sacrifice fly. Henry Davis flew out to center to end the inning.

Gunner Henderson took Angel Zerpa's 1st pitch and deposited it into the LF stands in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-1.

Drew Romo singled with 1 out in the 2nd. Khalil Watson followed with a double into the LF corner, but the relay beat Romo to the plate and Adley Rutchman tagged him out on a close play at home.

The Orioles had runners at the corners with 1 out in the bottom of the inning, but Zepra struck out Victor Robles and Gabriel Arias to end the inning.

Jesus Sanchez walked to lead off the 4th and then Henry Davis drilled a Rodriguez fastball into the LF stands to give Pittsburgh a 4-1 lead.

Rutchman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning. Alec Bohm followed with a triple and Peyton Stovall singled to make it 4-3. The Pirates summoned Aneurys Zabala from the bullpen. He walked Arias but then retired Henderson on a fly ball to right and Cummings on a ground ball to 1st.

John Rhodes went deep to lead off the bottom of the 5th to tie the game at 4. In the 6th, Victor Robles was safe on an infield hit when Masayoshi Oshima made a great diving stop on what looked like a sure double down the line. Robles stole 2nd and took 3rd on a fly ball to center. Jose Urquidy was called from the bullpen and retired Henderson on a ground ball to 2nd.

Aguliar singled to lead off the 8th and went to 2nd on a Tyler Burch wild pitch. Burch retired the next 3 batters to keep the Buccos off the board.

Jose Urquidy did an exceptional job in relief, holding Baltimore off the board over 3.1 innings. The Pirates went quietly in the top of the 10th. In the bottom of the inning, Rhodes blasted a Nick Mears pitched into the RF stands to give the Orioles a 5-4, walk off win.

The Orioles take a 3-2 series lead. The series will return to Pittsburgh with their backs against the wall in Game 6.

WP: J. Hintzen (1-0)
LP: N. Mears (0-1)
Baltimore leads the series 3-2.

[TribeTown]

World Series Game 6 – October 19 – Pittsburgh 7, Baltimore 6

Cole Cummings doubled with 1 out in the 1st, went to 3rd on a Quinn Priester wild pitch, and scored on a John Rhodes sacrifice fly as Baltimore took the early lead.

Corbin Carroll doubled down the LF line to lead off the bottom of the inning, went to 3rd on a Masayoshi Oshima fly ball, and scored when Brendan Rodgers slid hard into second to break up a potential double play on Starlin Aguliar's ground ball to short.

Gabriel Arias blasted a 406 foot home run to left field in the 5th to give Baltimore a 3-1 lead. That was all for Priester as J. B. Bukauskas came in and got the final 2 outs of the inning.

Corbin Carroll singled through the middle with 2 outs in the bottom of the inning. Brendan Rodgers followed with a sharp single through the middle, and Masayoshi Oshima laced a single to center to score Carroll and make it a 3-2 game.

The Pirates loaded the bases with 1 out in the 6th. Enrique Bradford hit a slow ground ball down the 3B line. Gunner Henderson misplayed it, allowing Jackson Merrill to score with the tying run. Aaron Bummer relieved Logan Gilbert and got Carroll to pop up on the infield, but Brendan Rodgers ripped a bases-clearing double into the RF gap to put Pittsburgh ahead 6-3.

Gabriel Arias took Nick Mears deep in the 7th to make it a 6-4 game. Khalil Watson then misplayed a Gunner Henderdon popup behind second base and Cummings ripped a double into the LF gap to make it 6-5. Austin Troesser relieved Mears and struck out John Rhodes before retiring Coby Mayo on a fly ball to left to end the inning.

Henry Davis added an insurance run in the bottom of the 7th on a 439 foot bomb to left.

Peyton Stovall hit a bomb to center field off Troesser in the 8th to make it a 7-6 game. Troesser came back to strike out Yoan Moncada and Victor Robles to end the inning.

The Pirates had runners at the corners with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th, but Jiovani Moran struck out Rodgers and Oshima to keep Pittsburgh off the board. Troesser struck the side in the 9th in an "immaculate inning," only the 2nd in World Series history, to earn the save.

The deciding game 7 will be played at PNC Park tomorrow. Nabil Crismatt will get the ball for Baltimore. The Pirates announced that Carter Smith will start. There had been speculation that Pittsburgh would turn to their ace, Shane Bieber instead. Bieber will be available to pitch out of the bullpen if needed.

WP: J. Bukauskas (2-0)
LP: L. Gilbert (1-1)
SV: A. Troesser (1)
Series is tied at 3.

[TribeTown]

RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER! PIRATES WIN!!!

World Series Game 7 – October 20 – Pittsburgh 3, Baltimore 2 (11 innings)

Adley Rutchman broke a scoreless tie when he hit a solo home run to right with 1 out in the 4th inning. Emerson Hancock relieved Carter Smith to start the 5th and pitched 3 scoreless innings.

Meanwhile, Nabil Crismatt was mowing down the Pirates, allowing just 1 base runner through the 1st 5 innings until Khalil Watson led off the 6th with a double into the left field gap. Enrique Bradford struck out, but then Corbin Carroll singled to center. Victor Robles threw Bradford out at the plate to keep it a 1-0 game. Brendan Rodgers worked a walk, and then Masayoshi Oshima doubled to the wall in center. Both Carroll and Rodgers scored (this time Robles' throw was not in time) as the Pirates took a 2-1 lead.

Bradford showed off his value on defense, robbing Robles of a hit in the top of the 7th.

Nick Robertson allowed a single and a walk with 1 out in the 8th, but got Rutchman to hit into a double play to end the inning.

Yerry De Los Santos struck out Peyton Stovall to start the 9th. Yoan Moncada struck out. Down to their final out, pinch hitter Cade Hunter blasted De Los Santos' next pitch into the RF stands to tie the game. De Los Santos recovered from the shock and disappointment that filled the ballpark to get out of the inning and also pitched a scoreless 10th and 11th innings.

Mashayoshi Oshima led off in the bottom of the 11th and blasted a 1-0 pitch from Jiovani Moran over the fence in left to set off a raucous celebration at PNC Park and throughout the city of Pittsburgh.

Already a fan favorite, Oshima is now likely to become a Pittsburgh cult hero. Oshima's blast was only the 3rd time a World Series was won with a walk off home run, and the 2nd time it happened in game 7. The other 2 are Bill Mazeroski (Pittsburgh) in the 1960 series and Joe Carter (Toronto) in the 1993 series.

"Nobody can take this away from us, not ever," series MVP Corbin Carroll said amidst the postgame celebration in the Pirates clubhouse. We worked hard and we accomplished our goal."

"From day one of spring training, I could see it in the their eyes," Pittsburgh's manager said. "The players had that looked of intensity, of hunger, of a desire to accomplish something great, and today they did that. They are champions of the world."

WP: Y. De Los Santos (2-0)
LP: J. Moran (0-2)
Pittsburgh wins the World Series 4-3

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

[TribeTown]

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2027 IN REVIEW

Even before the playoffs started, this was among my personal favorite OOTP seasons ever. The team was essentially on life support in May, but responded by playing great between June 1 and the end of the season. The Pirates were 27-34 on May 29, their lowest point of the season. The Buccos went 66-35 (.653 winning %) the rest of the way, overtaking Milwaukee in the Central on October and clinching 1st place with a win on the last day of the season.

Masayoshi Oshima has had a tough season but got hot at the right time. He was named the NL's September Player of the Month after batting .358 (24-67) with 5 home runs, 17 RBIs, and 17 runs scored.

Starlin Aguilar had a huge impact after his recall in July and was named NL Rookie of the Month after batting .351 with 6 home runs and 15 RBIs.

Then came the playoffs. The Division series vs. Washington had plenty of big moments, and the World Series was a classic – especially the way it ended. Both would have been "must see TV," although I am sure the networks would not have been very keen on the Baltimore-Pittsburgh matchup.

Moneyball achievement earned.

Looking ahead – Owner Bob Nutting has allowed payroll to increase to $150,000,000, which is the highest in club history. Still, there are important decisions to be made. We are pretty comfortable with our returning lineup and the pitching staff should remain solid. Here is a rundown –

1B – Starlin Aguilar had an outstanding MLB debut. Max Anderson also had an impressive half-season as a rookie. Team insiders think Anderson has the bigger long-term upside. (Anderson can also play 3B, but Masayoshi Oshima is entrenched there.) Then there's Henry Davis, who has the greatest offensive potential of all. The Pirates have been reluctant to play him at catcher, even though he is outstanding defensively there. If not catcher or DH, 1B would seem to be his best fit on this team.

2B – Brendan Rodgers gave a big boost after being acquired from the Yankees, but he is a free agent and the Pirates have no intention of trying to re-sign him. Kyren Paris and Khalil Watson – who was impressive during the playoffs – will take over.

SS – This is the biggest question mark as the Pirates are prepared for Manuel Beltre or Armando Cruz to take over. Both are relatively weak hitters with relatively good defense. Cruz (who could be elite defensively) has the edge on defense, while Beltre has the slight edge on offense. If neither one works out, the Pirates could turn to Paris, although his defense is average at shortstop at best. More likely, the Pirates would look for a trade to fill the position if neither Beltre or Cruz works out.

3B – Masayoshi Oshima is entrenched here.

LF – The 2nd buggest question. Jesus Sanchez is a free agent and will not return. Jackson Merrill? Clayton Hodges? Dean West (AAA)? Hendry Mendez (AAA)? Merrill probably has the advantage currently, if based only on his post season heroics. West is MLB ready. Henry Davis? Probably not full time. A trade? Stay tuned.

CF – Enrique Bradford may be the game's top defensive player in center, and he has game-changing speed. Can he hit enough to stay in the lineup everyday? He did in 2027, and the Pirates are banking on him doing so again.

RF – Corbin Carroll is entrenched here.

C – Diego Caraya has the most upside defensively. He is expected to be a premier defender and also projects to be a solid or better offensive player. He didn't show much this season, however, and barely saw the field during the playoffs. Drew Romo is a team leader (unofficial captain) and had a solid offensive season. He also did a superior job throwing out opposing runners and calls a good game. Davis is also an option, with above average defense and the highest offensive ceiling of the group. As stated before, the Pirates would prefer to play him elsewhere. They carried 3 catchers for much of last year and are prepared to do so again, but it is just as likely that they will trade 1 of the 3. Cartaya and Davis are probably the team's best trade chips.

SP – If everyone stays healthy, the Pirates are pretty much loaded here. Shane Bieber is the ace of the staff, with D. L. Hall, Carter Smith, Angel Zerpa, Aneurys Zabala, Emerson Hancock, and Dakota Chalmers also capable starters. Several of those would be #1 (or at least #2) starters on most teams.

RP – Yerry De Los Santos led the MLB in saves and is one of the top closers in baseball, although he also had a few spectacular blown saves. Nick Robertson, Austin Troesser, and any of the above starters will fill out the pen. Tom Cosgrove will not return. The Pirates took a look at re-signing Nick Mears, but his $11 million ask put a stop to talks almost immediately.

TOP MINOR LEAGUERS READY TO CONTRIBUTE
Jackson Cox P
Armando Cruz SS
Dean West OF
Henry Mendez OF
Zion Rose C

THIS MONTH IN THE MLB

• September 3 – Detroit became the 1st team to clinch a playoff spot. Mets RP German Marquez will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured finger tendon.
  
• September 4 – White Sox RP Pete Fairbanks will miss the rest of the season with a bone spur in his elbow.
  
• September 7 – CCleveland's Jose Ramirez hit career home run #400 although the Guardians fell to the Reds Sox, 8-5.
  
• September 8 – Angels atar Shoheo Ohtani. Miss the rest of the season with a torn UCL.
  
• September 9 – Rays SP Taj Bradley pitched a no-hitter as Tampa Bay beat San Antonio 8-0. Mets SP Luis Moreno (10-9, 3.16) will have Tommy John Surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
  
• September 10 – Washington star Juan Soto hit career home run #300 as Washington beat St. Louis 11-2.
  
• September 13 – Phillies star Bryce Harper hit his 5500th career home run.
  
• October 22 – New budget is $160,000,000 without $150,000,000 available for team payroll.
  
• October 23 – Hitting coach Max Forsythe announced that he was retiring. Appointed Altoona manager Chase Utley to be hitting coach.
  
• October 24 – DFA'd Delvin Perez and Tom Cosgrove.
  
• October 25 – We managed to sign contracts with all but 2 pending arbitration cases:

Nick Robertson (1/$2,140,000)
Angel Zerpa (1/$2,000,000)
Dakota Chalmers (1/$1,340,000)
Emerson Hancock (1/$2,320,000)
Enrique Bradfield (1/$3,900,000)
Yerry De Los Santos (1/$1,900,000)
Aneurys Zabala (1/$2,500,000)
Kyren Paris (1/$4,600,000)
Corbin Carroll (3/$62,700,000).

TRADE: Traded D. L. Hall and minor league C Jarred O'Mara to the White Sox in exchange for OF Ethan Workinger. Workinger is an elite power hitter who profiles as a "premier left fielder" according to scouting director Roy Clark. He has played parts of 2 seasons with the White Sox but has never had a chance to be a full time starter.

It was tough to trade away Hall, who has been an excellent starting pitcher for us for the past several years. Ultimately, the move was made for several reasons. 1st, we have an abundance of starting pitching, making at least 1 of our starters expendable. 2nd, Hall had any injury-prone 2nd half, although none of his injuries were particularly serious. Nevertheless, we discovered that our starting staff was just fine without him. 3rd, he had the highest return upside, and we are very excited to have acquired Ethan Workinger, who we believe will fill the LF hole in our lineup we have had for the past several years. 4th, it freed up some money so that we could sign Corbin Carroll to a 3-year deal. Signing Carroll was the #1 priority for the Pirates this offseason. He is the engine that makes this lineup run, and he was due to become a free agent at the end of the 2028 season. The feeling internally is that our window of contention will remain open as long as Carroll wears a Pirates uniform.

DOWN ON THE FARM

• Greensboro SP Sam Horn (2022 3rd round draft pick) pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 8. Overall, Horn is 7-4 with a 3.89 ERA.
  
• October 10 – Indianapolis advanced to round 2 of the playoffs after beating Durham 4 games to 1.
  
• October 16 – Iowa sept Indianapolis in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

[TribeTown]

OFF SEASON PART 1

POST SEASON AWARDS
AL Batting Champion: Peyton Stovall, BAL (.321)
NL Batting Champion: Ketel Marte ARI (.318)
AL Reliever of the Year: Giovanny Gallegos LA (2-1, 33 saves, 1.94)
NL Reliever of the Year: James Karinchak SF (4-2, 40 saves, 2.33)
AL Rookie of the Year: Steven Rivas LA (.250, 33, 95)
NL Rookie of the Year: Kenni Gomez MIL (.260, 25, 77)
AL Manager of the Year: A. J. Hinch DET
NL Manager of the Year: Steve Liddle MIL
AL Cy Young: Luis Amaya CHI (15-6, 3.47)
NL Cy Young: Freddy Peralta SD (14-8, 3.17)
AL MVP: George Valera CLE (.266, 58, 134)
NL MVP: Fernando Tatis SD (.309, 41, 109)

Side note – Fan interest currently is listed at "85"

November 11 – We went to arbitration with 2 players.
Diego Cartaya (1/$365,000, arbitrator found in favor of the team. The player had demanded $1,750,000).
Quinn Priester (1/$4,037,000, arbitrator found in favor of player. The team had offered $3,370,000).

The team will not try to sign free agents Jesus Sanchez, Brendan Rodgers, Jose Urquidy, or Nick Mears. Mears is asking for $12,000,000.

November 16 – The Giants made the 1st major free agent splash, signing RP Trevor Gott for 2 years, $2,280,000. The Cardinals re-signed OF Harrison Bader to a 5 year, $112,800,000 extension.

November 21 – The Royals acquired former Pirate Inf Allen Trejo from Charlotte for 2 minor leaguers.

November 23 – The Angels signed one of the top free agents on the market. 1B Freddie Freeman will make $42,800,000 on a 2-year deal.

November 28 – The Angels signed Pirates free agent Tom Cosgrove to a 2 year, $10,200,000 contract.

November 29 – The Giants signed C Will Smith for 5 years, $15,400,000 and SP Jordan Holloway to a 1 year, $5,800,000 deal. P Nestor Cortes signed with the Cubs for 4 years, $55,200,000.

November 30 – The Red acquired P Spencer Howard from KC in exchange for a minor leaguer.

December 1 – The Giants continued their spending spree, signing P Touki Toussaint to a 2 year, $8,640,000 deal.

December 2 – The Cubs made a big splash, signing 3B Matt Chapman to a 4 year, $63,200,000 deal. The Giants signed CL Andres Munoz. The Yankees signed RP Pete Fairbanks. The Angels signed Cuban free agent Juan Campillo to a 4 year, $67,600,000 deal. The Royals acquired RP Darwinzon Hernandez from Boston for 3 minor leaguers.

December 3 – The Giants signed SS Adalberto Mondesi to a 3 year, $30,600,000 deal. The Royals acquired OF Teoscar Hernandez from San Diego for a minor league 1B.

December 4 – SP Pablo Sandoval signed a 2 year deal with the Mets. Detroit signed SP Nick Martinez to a 2 year deal. The Royals signed 3B Ryan McMahon and the Cubs signed former Pirates RP Alex Vesia.

December 6 – The Ocelots signed CL Art Warren.

December 7 – The Dodgers signed CL Seranthony Dominguez.

December 8 – The Giants signed P Chris Sale.

December 13 – The Brewers made a big splash, signing marquee free agent 1B Spencer Torkleson to a 8 year contract worth $26,550,000 per year.

December 14 – Pirates free agent Jose Urquidy signed a 1 year, $6,200,000 pact with Washington. The Red Sox signed former Pirate Nick Mears to a 3 year, $24,600,000 contract. Cuban free agent OF Juan Serrano signed with San Antonio. The Mets traded RP Luis Turill to Colorado in exchange for Noah Syndergaard.

December 15 – The Angels signed SP Tanner Houck to a 5 year, $80,000,000 contract.

December 16 – Sam Hentges signed with Arizona. Jacob deGrom, who missed nearly all of the 2027 season, signed a 1 year, $3,280,000 contract with Texas.

December 17 –2B Jonathan India signed with Philadelphia. Jose Ramirez signed a 3 year contract extension with Cleveland. Jesus Sanchez signed a 5 year, $66,000,000 contract with Oakland.

December 20 – The Dodgers signed RP Michael Baez.

December 21 – RULE 5 DRAFT – Nothing of note happened during the draft. The big news was the Angels concluded a 2 year deal with OF Julio Rodriguez worth $57,900,000. Brendan Rodgers signed a 2 year, $25,400,000 contract with the Cubs.

December 28 – The Guardians signed RP Chad Green. The Cubs signed P Taijuan Walker.

December 30 – San Antonio signed P Dinelson Lamet to a 3 year, $37,800,000 deal.

[TribeTown]

OFF SEASON PART 1

January 1 – RP Joe Barlow signed with the Rangers. SP Shane Baz signed a 6 year, $151,000,000 contract with Charlotte. 2B Joege Polanco signed a 4 year, $29,000,000 contract with Mikwaukee.

January 2 – Former Bucco Roansy Contreras signed with Texas for 5 years, $74,300,000.

January 3 – Braves OF Ronald Acuna, Jr, signed a 6 year, $156,000,000 contract extension. SP Carlos Martinez signed with the Dodgers.

January 11 – 37 year old Anthony Rendon signed a 3 year, $28,500,000 contract to play in Philadelphia. The Brewers signed South Korean star CF BBong-Keun Kim to a 7 year deal.

January 12 – HALL OF FAME VOTING RESULTS – Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera were both overwhelmingly elected to the Hall in their 11st year of eligibility.

January 16 – Luis Robert re-signed with the White Sox in a 4 year deal.

January 19 – Mikes Straw signed a 4 year, $33,000,000 deal with the Rockies.

January 20 – Star closer James Karinchak signed a 3 year, $36,900,000 deal with the Cubs. The Cubs also signed Emmanuel Clase to a 3 year deal.

January 25 – Former Pirates P Nate Pearson signed with Boston. 35 year old Trevor Story signed with the Giants. The Guardians acquired C Shea Langeliers in exchange for a minor league OF.

January 25 – The Pirates traded minor league P David Bates to the Dodgers in exchange for RP Jack Weisenburger and P Michael Grove.

January 26 – Mason Thompson, a solid reliever for Washington for the past 5 years signed with Boston. Corey Knebel signed with the Dodgers.

January 27 – The Dodgers signed SP Garrett Whitlock to a 2 year deal. The Giants signed SP Jameson Taillon.

January 30 – The Rockies signed 37 year old SP Mike Clevinger to a 2 year, $32,800,000 contract.

January 31 – The White Sox signed RP Giovanny Gallegos. The Cubs signed RP Adrian Morejon.

February 4 – RP Andrew Chafin signed with Philadelphia.

February 15 – Washington acquired P Dustin May from the Dodgers in exchange for 2 minor leaguers.

February 16 – Texas signed RP Justin Garza.

SPRING TRAINING

February 25 – The Dodgers signed RP Trevor Richards.

February 28 – An aging Jorge Soler signed with the Padres.

March 3 – Miami SP Sam Carlson will miss the season after suffering an elbow ligament injury. Rowdy Tellez signed with Seattle. The Pirates kicked the tires on Tellez but ultimately decided not to pursue the power hitter.

March 7 – Michael Conforto signed with San Antonio.

March 10 – The Red Sox re-signed veteran 1B Anthony Rizzo.

March 13 – Kyle Wright signed a 5 year extension with the Braves.

March 14 – Bryson Stott signed a 1 year deal with Kansas City.

March 16 – News Item -- "Pittsburgh Pirates LF Workinger Delights Fans With Spring Training Accessibility."

March 26 – Cubs RP Emmanuel Clase was shut down with shoulder inflammation and is expected to miss 4 weeks. Astros LF Jordan Alvarez will miss the season with a torn posterior cruciate ligament.

March 29 – Washington RP Joe Ross will miss the season with a torn rotator cuff.

The Pirates finished spring training in good shape.

PITCHERS: The rotation will be Bieber, Priester, Zerpa, Smith, and Bubba Chandler. Chandler is a 2-way player who can also play at 3B and SS. Hancock, Grove, and Zabala, also candidates for the 5th spot in the rotation, will join Chalmers, Bukauskas, Weisenberger, Robertson, and De Los Santos in the bullpen. Austin Troesser will start at AAA, mainly because he had options.

CATCHERS -- Cartaya will be the starter, Romo the backup. Henry Davis will catch, play 1B, and,DH.

INFIELDERS -- Aguilar and Anderson will platoon at 1B to start, Watson is the starter at 2B, Cruz won the SS competition, and Oshima is at 3B. Kyren Paris will get plenty of time at 2B and SS. Manuel Beltre goes to AAA.

OUTFIELDERS: Workinger, Dean, Bradford and Carroll. Jackson Merrill starts at AAA.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: The Pirates are predicted to win 100 games and easily win the N. L. Central. The Cubs are expected to finish 2nd with 90 projected wins. Other predicted division winners are Baltimore, Detroit, and Texas in the American League, and Washington and the Dodgers in the N. L. Shane Bieber, Bubba Chandler, and Angel Zerpa are expected to be among the top pitchers in the Nationals League.

[TribeTown]

Game #1 – March 30 – Pittsburgh 5, Cincinnati 1
The Pirates spoiled the Opening Day festivities at Great American Ballpark behind a fine performance by Shane Bieber. The Pirates ace threw 89 pitches over 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 3 hits and striking out 10. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the 1st inning when Cobin Carroll scored on a Masayoshi Oshima double play. Ethan Workinger drove in a run in the 4th, and then Starlin Aguilar socked a 2-run double to make it 4-0.
WP: S. Bieber (1-0)
LP: H. Greene (0-1)
Record: 1-0

Game #2 – March 31 – Pittsburgh 7, Cincinnati 6
Masayoshi Oshima belted 2 home runs and drove in 5 as the Pirates improved to 2-0. His 3-run home run in the top of the 9th gave the Pirates a 7-3 lead. Quinn Priester was impressive, allowing 1 run over 6 innings for the win.
WP: Q. Priester (1-0)
LP: J. Cruz (0-1)
Record: 2-0

Game #3 – April 1 – Pittsburgh 11, Cincinnati 6
The Pirates completed the sweep, scoring 7 times in the top of the 8th inning to take an 11-5 lead. Max Anderson had the big hit. His 3-run home run put the Pirates on top 7-5. Khalil Watson went 3-5 and hit a 2nd inning home run. Masayoshi Oshima hit a 2-run homer in the 3rd.
WP: E. Hancock (1-0)
LP: K. Muller (0-1)
Record: 3-0

Game #4 – April 2 – Pittsburgh 9, Charlotte 7
The Pirates celebrated the home opener by accepting their World Series rings and then going out and beating the Brown Bears. Henry Davis led the charge, going 3-4, including a solo home run in the 2nd inning. Charlotte was threatening in the 8th with 2 on and 2 out, but Nick Robertson retired Dominic Fletcher to end the threat.
WP: A. Zerpa (1-0)
LP: J. del Bosque (0-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (1)
Record: 4-0

Game #5 – April 3 – Charlotte 1, Pittsburgh 0
The Pirates dropped their 1st game of the season when Dominic Fletcher hit a run-scoring single in the top of the 9th inning. Bubba Chandler made the start for Pittsburgh and recorded just 1 put before leaving the game with a tired arm. Charlotte pitchers combined to shutout the Pirates on 7 hits.
WP: N. Nelson (1-0)
LP: J. Bukauskas (0-1)
SV: J. Gatto (1)
Record: 4-1

Game #6 – April 4 – Pittsburgh 6, Charlotte 2
The Pirates rebounded to take the rubber match of the series behind another strong start by Shane Bieber. Bieber allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and struck out 9 over 6.2 innings. Ethan Workinger hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 5th to break a 2-2 tie. Starlin Aguilar, Dean West, and Armando Cruz also delivered RBI hits.
WP: S. Bieber (2-0)
LP: F. Whitney (0-2)
SV: N. Robertson (1)
Record: 5-1

[TribeTown]

Game #7 – April 5 – Pittsburgh 4, Washington 3
The Pirates scored 3 times in the 3rd on base hits by Corbin Carroll and Ethan Workinger, and added a run in the 6th. Quinn Priester left the game in the 3rd with a mild oblique strain, but should be able to make his next start. The bullpen allowed 3 Washington runs, with Yerry De Los Santos recording the final 5 outs to preserve the win.
WP: D. Chalmers (1-0)
LP: M. Denaburg (0-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (2)
Record: 6-1

Game #8 – April 6 – Washington 13, Pittsburgh 3
The Nationals ripped Carter Smith for 7 runs in 4.2 innings. Emerson Hancock fared no better, allowing 6 runs in 1.2 innings of relief.
WP: D. May (1-0)
LP: C. Smith (0-1)
Record: 6-2

Game #9 – April 7 – Washington 5, Pittsburgh 4 (12 innings)
Pinch hitter T. J. White hit a home run with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning to tie it and Caleb Ricketts singled home the winning run in the 11th to give the Nationals a walkoff win.
WP: G. Crochet (1-0)
LP: M. Grove (0-1)
Record: 6-3

Game #10 – April 8 –Milwaukee 6, Pittsburgh 2
The Pirates dropped their 3rd game in a row as the Brewers scored 4 times in the 6th to take the lead. Shane Bieber allowed 3 runs over 5 innings and struck out 11 batters.
WP: R. Ray (2-0)
LP: S. Bieber (2-1)
Record: 6-4

TRANSACTION: Placed Dean West on the 10-day Injured List with an intercostal strain. Recalled Jackson Merrill from AAA Indianapolis.

Game #11 – April 9 – Pittsburgh 6, Milwaukee 3 (10 innings)
Pinch-hitter Max Anderson blasted a 3-run home run of Josh Hader in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Pirates a walkoff win.
WP: M. Grove (1-1)
LP: J. Hader (0-1)
Record: 7-4

Game #12 – April 10 – Pittsburgh 6, Milwaukee 3
Quinn Priester pitched well, pitching 7 shutout innings before tiring and allowing 2 runs in the 8th inning. Enrique Bradford hit a 2-run double in the 4th and Armando Cruz hit his 1st home run, a 2-run shot in the 8th.
WP: Q. Priester (2-0)
LP: T. Glasnow (1-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (3)
Record: 8-4

[TribeTown]

April 11 Off Day

Game #13 – April 12 – Pittsburgh 5, Colorado 2
The Pirates were trailing 2-0 when Henry Davis smashed a 2-run home run in the 5th. Starlin Aguilar hit a solo home run in the 6th and Corbin Carroll drove in another in the 7th. Carter Smith pitched 7 strong innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and striking out 10.
WP: C. Smith (1-1)
LP: J. Jones (1-2)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (4)
Record: 9-4

Game #14 – April 13 – Pittsburgh 9, Colorado 2
Diego Cartaya went 3-5, hitting 3 doubles and driving in 3 runs, to lead the Pirates. Khalil Watson hit a 2-run double in the 6th to give Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead.
WP: D. Chalmers (2-0)
LP: D. Delgado (0-1)
Record: 10-4

Game #15 – April 14 – Colorado 6, Pittsburgh 1
Ezequiel Tovar drove in 3 runs to lead Colorado as the Rockies salvaged the final game of the series.
WP: J. Wallace (2-0)
LP: A. Zerpa (1-1)
Record: 10-5

Game #16 – April 15 – Pittsburgh 7, Miami 2
Quinn Priester had another strong start, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits over 6.2 innings, to improve to 3-0. Diego Cartaya went 3-5 and drove in 2 runs. His 2nd inning single gave the Pirates the early lead.
WP: Q. Priester (3-0)
LP: M. Albright (1-3)
Record: 11-5

Game #17 – April 16 – Miami 5, Pittsburgh 4
Tyree Reed hit a home run in the bottom of the 5th inning to give the Marlins a 5-4 lead
WP: C. Poteet (1-0)
LP: D. Chalmers (2-1)
SV: A. Walters (4)
Record: 11-6

Game #17 – April 17 – Miami 4, Pittsburgh 1
Eric Silva held the Pirates to 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 9 over 7 innings. Masayoshi Oshima and Jackson Merrill both left the game with injuries.
WP: E. Silva (2-1)
LP: B. Chandler (0-1)
SV: A. Walters (5)
Record: 11-7

[TribeTown]

Game #18 – April 18 – St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 1
The Pirates dropped their 3rd game in a row despite taking a 3-1 lead in the 2nd inning. Former Pirate Chas McCormick went 3-3, and former Pirate Luis Arraez drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the 5th inning.
WP: M. Englert (3-1)
LP: S. Bieber (2-2)
SV: J. Sborz (5)
Record: 11-8

TRANSACTION: Placed Masayoshi Oshima on the 10-day Injured List (concussion). Placed Jackson Merrill on the 10-day Injured List (back). Activated Dean West from the I. L. Purchased the contract of Manuel Beltre from AAA Indianapolis.

April 19 – ppd. Rain

Game #19 – April 20 (game #1) – Pittsburgh 8, St. Louis 6
Max Anderson hit his 4th home run of the season, a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 7th, to put the Pirates ahead 7-6. Starlin Aguilar added a solo home run in the 8th.
WP: E. Hancock (2-0)
LP: E. Jaquez (0-2)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (5)
Record:12-8

Game #20 – April 20 (game #2) – Pittsburgh 8, St. Louis 4
The Pirates swept the doubleheader as Carter Smith pitched well (6 IP, 1 R, 5 H, q0 K) and Bubba Chandler hit his 1st home run of the season in the 2nd inning, a 2-run shot, to put the Buccos ahead 2-0. Max Anderson smacked a 2-run homer in the 8th.
WP: C. Smith. (2-1)
LP: J. Winckowski (0-2)
Record: 13-8

Game #21 – April 21 – San Francisco 2, Pittsburgh 1 (16 innings)
The Pirates have never had much success at Oracle Park, and the trend continued as the Giants prevailed in a tense extra-inning affair. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the 6th, but the Giants tied it in the bottom of the 8th. The game remained 1-1 until David Mendoza smacked a run-scoring, walk-off single off J. B. Bukauskas in the 16th.
WP: T. Toussaint (1-3)
LP: J. Bukauskas (0-2)
Record: 13-9

Game #22 – April 22 – Pittsburgh 5, San Francisco 4
Bubba Chandler pitched 6 innings of 3-hit ball and the Pirates scored 4 times in the 7th to take the lead. Drew Romo's 2-run double to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-2.
WP: B. Chandler (1-1)
LP: J. Taillon (0-3)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (6)
Record: 14-9

TRANSACTION: Placed Max Anderson on the 10-day Injured List (knee). Purchased the contract of Austin Troesser from AAA Indianapolis.

April 23 – ppd. Rain

April 24 – Off Day

[TribeTown]

Game #23 – April 25 – Philadelphia 7, Pittsburgh 3
Henry Davis went 2-3 with a home run, but the Phillies pounded Shane Bieber. Shortstop William Bergolla's bases-clearing double in the 4th was the big hit which broke open the game. Bieber allowed 6 runs in just 4 innings of work.
WP: J. Leon (3-1)
LP: S. Bieber (2-3)
Record: 14-10

Game #24 – April 26 – Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 3
Corbin Carroll's 13th double of the season was the highlight of Pittsburgh's 4-run 7th inning. The 2-run double gave the Pirates a 5-3 lead.
WP: A. Troesser (1-0)
LP: A. Painter (0-3)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (7)
Record: 15-10

Game #25 – April 27 – Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 3
Henry Davis hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 2nd to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Drew Romo followed with his 1st home run of the season. Carter Smith pitched well, going 5.1 innings and allowing 2 runs in 3 hits.
WP: C. Smith (3-1)
LP: H. Castellanos (0-2)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (8)
Record: 16-10

TRANSACTION: Optioned Manuel Beltre to AAA Indianapolis. Activated Jackson Merrill from the I. L.

Game #26 – April 28 – Pittsburgh 10, LA Dodgers 6
Starlin Aguilar hit a bases-clearing triple in the top of the 3rd to give the Pirates a 5-2 lead. Henry Davis hit a 2-run home run in the 8th and now has homered in 4 straight games.
WP: A. Zerpa (2-1)
LP: W. Buehler (2-3)
Record: 17-10

Game #27 – April 29 – LA Dodgers 8, Pittsburgh 1
Bubba Chandler allowed 4 runs in 4 innings as the Dodgers rolled to a win. LA's Bobby Miller was impressive in his role as a "follower," holding the Pirates to 1 run on 5 hits over 6.1 innings.
WP: B. Miller (2-2)
LP: B. Chandler (1-2)
Record: 17-11

TRANSACTION: Placed Jackson Merrill on the 10-day Injured List with a strained abdominal muscle. Purchased the contract of Hendry Mendez from AAA Indianapolis.

Game #28 – April 30 – Pittsburgh 2, LA Dodgers 1
Shane Bieber returned to form, pitching 8 strong innings. He limited the Dodgers to 1 run on 4 hits, striking out 7.
WP: S. Bieber (3-3)
LP: C. Martinez (2-2)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (9)
Record: 18-11

[TribeTown]

MARCH/APRIL 2028 IN REVIEW

The Pirates got off to a hot (6-1) start and played fairly well for the rest of the month, finishing with an 18-11 record. The offense has been productive and ranks in the top third of the league in most categories, despite losing Masayoshi Oshima and Max Anderson for a good chunk of April. With those 2 out, Henry Davis has been the most consistent power source. The Pirates are 14th in the N. L. in home runs; the lack of power.remains a concern for this lineup. On a plus note, Corbin Carroll and Enrique Bradford rank #1 and #2 in stolen bases, and the team's 26 steals ranks 1st in the league by far. The defense also remains a strength.

The pitching staff is struggling a bit more than Pirates fans are used to, both starters and bullpen ranking middle of the pack. After a very strong start, Shane Bieber suffered three poor starts in a row. Some in the media worried that the ace had lost his stuff, but his final start of the month hopefully put those worries to rest.

THIS MONTH IN THE MLB

At 18-11, the Pirates lead the NL Central by 2 ½ games over the 16-14 Cardinals, Cubs and Brewers.

The Braves are off to a torrid start (23-7), but the Nationals (20-10) have been nearly as good in the NL East.

At 14-15, the Giants hold a 2 ½ game lead in the (so far) horrendous West, where no team is above .500.

Baltimore already seems in control of the AL East. St 19-11, they have a 7 game lead over the next closest team, the 12-18 Red Sox.

Cleveland is also off to a fast start at 22-8. They lead the Tigers by 2 games.

The Mariners are 21-9. They lead the Angels by 2 games.

• March 30 – Free agent RP Josh Hader signed for 1 year/$20,000,000 with Milwaukee. Arizona signed RP Jose Castillo. San Diego's Makenzie Gore hurled an Opening Day no-hitter as the Padres beat the Rockies 4-0.
  
• April 3 – Minnesota C Ryan Jefferson suffered a torn PCL and will miss the rest of the season. Toronto RP is likely to miss the rest of the season with shoulder inflammation.
  
• April 6 – Charlotte SP Victor Santos is out for the season with a torn labrum. San Antonio RP will miss the rest of the season with Tommy John Surgery. Baltimore star LF John Rhodes is out indefinitely with a concussion.
  
• April 7 – St. Louis SP Lucas Giolito signed a 5 year contract extension with the Cardinals.
  
• April 8 – Oakland signed journeyman RP Jorge Lopez.
  
• April 17 – Boston 1B Anthony Rizzo hit his 400th career home run as tye Red Sox beat the Twins 9-3.
  
• April 20 – Phillies RP Yusei Kukuchi is out for the rest of the season with radial nerve compression.
  
• April 21 – Miami's Braxton Garrett will miss 5 months with bone chips in his elbow.
  
• April 28 – Baltimore 33B Gunnar Henderson will miss 4 months with a broken elbow.
  
• April 30 – Mets SP Lance McCullers pitched the season's 2nd no-hitter as New York beat San Diego 6-0.

DOWN ON THE FARM

• April 24 – Altoona RF Luca Reyes (2023 2nd round draft pick), one of Pittsburgh's top prospects, won Eastern League Player of the Week honors after batting .476 (10-21) with 5 hole runs and 8 RBIs. Indianapolis 3B Xavier Casserilla (2024 2nd round draft pick) won International League Player of the Week honors after batting .458 (11-24) with 3 home runs and 7 RBIs.

[TribeTown]

Game #30 – May 1 – Pittsburgh 2, Arizona 0
Quinn Priester scattered 2 hits over 8 shutout innings and Austin Troesser pitched a 1-2-3 9th for his 1st major league save.
WP: Q. Priester (4-0)
LP: D. German (1-4)
SV: A. Troesser (1)
Record: 19-11

Game #31 – May 2 – Arizona 14, Pittsburgh 10
It was a wild one at PNC Park. The Pirates led 3-0 after 2 innings, but Arizona scored 5 times in the 5th, 4 times in the 6th, once in the 7th, and 4 times in the 8th ro take a 14-3 lead. The Pirates responded with 7 runs in the bottom of the 8th, but could get no closer.
WP: S. Hentges (1-5)
LP: C. Smith (3-2)
Record: 19-12

TRANSACTION: Optioned Dean West to AAA Indianapolis. Activated Max Anderson from.the Injured List.

Game #32 – May 3 – Arizona 13, Pittsburgh 8 (11 innings)
Arizona scored 5 times in the top of the 11th inning to take the rubber match of the series.
WP: J. Susana (1-1)
LP: M. Grove (1-2)
Record: 19-13

Game #33 – May 4 – Pittsburgh 8, Chicago 5
The Pirates scored 5 times in the bottom of the 6th inning and withstood a Cubs rally to secure the win.
WP: B. Chandler (2-2)
LP: A. Morejon (2-1)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (10)
Record: 20-13

Game #34 – May 5 – Chicago 8, Pittsburgh 5
Nestor Cortes pitched well for the Cubs and former Pirate Alec Burleson drove in the go-ahead run in a 3 run 4th as the Cubs evened the series.
WP: N. Cortes (2-2)
LP: S. Bieber (3-4)
SV: J. Karinchak (6)
Record: 20-14

Game #35 – May 6 – Chicago 5, Pittsburgh 3
The Cubs took the rubber match and the Pirates closed an uncharacteristically disappointing homestand with a 2-4 record. Former Pirate Brendan Rodgers went 3-4 to lead the Cubs. Max Anderson's 2-run home run in the 1st inning was Pittsburgh's only real highlight.
WP: T. Rogers (5-2)
LP: Q. Priester (4-1)
SV: J. Karinchak (7)
Record: 20-15

May 7 – Off Day

Game #36 – May 8 – Atlanta 9, Pittsburgh 6
Joey Gallo hit 2 home runs, driving in 5, as the Braves topped the Pirates. Gallo's 2-run single in the 4th gave Atlanta a 5-3 lead. Max Anderson homered again for Pittsburgh. He now has hit 7 round-trippers.
WP: I. Anderson (5-1)
LP: C. Smith (3-3)
SV: A. Minter (6)
Record: 20-16

Game #37 – May 9 – Atlanta 4, Pittsburgh 2
The Pirates held a brief 2-1 lead after Max Anderson hit a 2-run double in the 5th, but Trey Faltine's triple in the bottom of the inning tied the game and William Contreras's 6th inning home run gave Atlanta the lead.
WP: K. Wright (6-0)
LP: A. Zerpa (2-2)
SV: A. Minter (7)
Record: 20-17

Game #38 – May 10 – Pittsburgh 14, Atlanta 5
Pittsburgh's offense exploded with 18 hits as the Pirates snapped a 4 game losing streak and salvaged the final game of the series. Ethan Workinger had 3 hits, including 2 home runs. Max Anderson led the Pirates with 4 hits, including his 8th home run of the season.
WP: S. Bieber (4-4)
LP: J. Ryan (1-2)
Record: 21-17

[TribeTown]

Game #39 – May 11 – NY Mets 5, Pittsburgh 0
German Marquez was outstanding, allowing 7 hits over 8.2 shutout innings while striking out 6 and walking 1.
WP: G. Marquez (5-0)
LP: Q. Priester (4-2)
Record: 21-18

TRANSACTION: Sent Masayoshi Oshima to AAA Indianapolis on a rehab assignement. He was out much more that anticipated when originally diagnosed with a concussion after being beaned.

Optioned Hendry Mendez to AAA Indianapolis. Recalled Chase DeLauter.

Game #40 – May 12 – Pittsburgh 6, NY Mets 5
Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the 6th inning, Drew Romo hit a 2-run double to tie the game. Henry Davis hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 8th to give the Pirates the lead, but Ronnie Mauricio's 9th inning home run off of Yerry De Los Santos tied it up again. Khalil Watson delivered a run-scoring double in the bottom of the inning to give the Pirates a walk off win.
WP: Y. De Los Santos (1-0)
LP: P. Reilly (1-2)
Record: 22-18

Game #41 – May 13 – Pittsburgh 6, NY Mets 6 (11 innings)
Carter Smith pitched well (6.2 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 10 K, 3 BB) and the Pirates led 6-3 before Nick Robertson blew a save as the Mets scored 3 times in the 9th. Kyren Paris singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 11th as the Pirates won on a walk off for the 2nd day in a row.
WP: E. Hancock (3-0)
LP: P. Reilly (1-3)
Record: 23-18

Game #42 – May 14 – San Diego 5, Pittsburgh 3
Pirates nemesis Zac Gallen did it again, holding the Buccos in check. The Padres scored 3 times in the 6th to break open the game. Pittsburgh managed to push 2 runs across in the 8th, but it was too little, too late.
WP: Z. Gallen (5-3)
LP: A.,Zerpa (2-3)
SV: J. Guerra (7)
Record: 23-19

Game #43 – May 15 – Pittsburgh 5, San Diego 4
Shane Bieber pitched well and the Pirates scored 4 times in the top of the 7th to take a 5-2 lead. Corbin Carroll's bases-clearing double gave Pittsburgh the lead. The Padres scored twice in the 9th off of Yerry De Los Santos, but he managed to hold on to preserve the win.
WP: S. Bieber (5-4)
LP: B. Elder (2-5)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (11)
Record: 24-19

Game #44 – May 16 – Pittsburgh 5, San Diego 2
The Pirates took the rubber match, scoring 4 times in the top of the 9th inning. Pinch-hitter Diego Cartaya stroked a run-scoring single to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead.
WP: A. Zabala (1-0)
LP: J. Guerra (0-4)
SV: A. Troesser (2)
Record: 25-19

Game #45 – May 17 – Cincinnati 7, Pittsburgh 4
Jonathan Cruz held the Pirates to 2 runs on 5 hits over 6 innings for the win. Pittsburgh scored twice in the 9th on hits by Armando Cruz and Corbin Carroll to make the final score closer than the game actually was.
WP: J. Cruz (1-2)
LP: B. Chandler (2-3)
Record: 25-20

Game #46 – May 18 – Pittsburgh 4, Cincinnati 1
Carter Smith was outstanding, allowing just 2 hits (1 of them a Carter Trice home run) and striking out 5 over 6 innings. Ethan Workinger's bases-clearing double in the bottom of the 1st inning gave the Pirates the only runs they would need.
WP: C. Smith (4-3)
LP: H. Greene (3-3)
SV: Y. De Los Santos (12)
Record: 26-20

TRANSACTION: Claimed INF Tyler Freeman off waivers from Miami. Freeman is a good hitter who can play multiple positions, but has little power. The Pirates acquired him from Cleveland in the Pablo Lopez trade in May 2023, then traded him to Miami in November of that year. He was a full time player for the Marlins (mostly at 1B), but probably won't be in Pittsburgh.

Claimed P Tarik Skubal off waivers from the Cubs. He pitched with the Tigers for most of his career before being claimed by the Twins in July 2025. He was released in August and signed a minor league contract with the Cubs in August 2026. He has mostly pitched as a starter but will pitch out of the bullpen in Pittsburgh.

Optioned Bubba Chandler to AAA Indianapolis. Designated Chase DeLauter and RP Javen Coleman for assignment.

Game #47 – May 19 – Cincinnati 9, Pittsburgh 5
The Reds used a 6 run 6th to beat the Pirates and win the rubber match of the series. Max Anderson hit 2 home runs, including a 3-run shot in the bottom of the 5th.
WP: K. Bradish (1-0)
LP: A. Zerpa (2-4)
Record: 26-21

May 20 – Off Day