This page may contain affiliate links. If you click and sign up, make a deposit, or place a wager, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Continues piling up free passes
Rotowire
Chandler (1-5) took the loss Saturday against the Phillies, allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits and four walks in three innings. He struck out two.
Chandler hasn't been able to sharpen his control consistently in 2026, having now issued at least three free passes in six of his first nine starts of the season. Saturday was the hard-throwing right-hander's shortest outing of the year, and he also fanned a season-low two. Although Chandler has held his opponents to a .213 batting average, he's set to bring a 5.14 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and an alarming 36:31 K:BB over 42 innings into a matchup with the Blue Jays.
O'Hearn was removed from Saturday's game against the Phillies due to right quad discomfort.
O'Hearn went 0-for-1 at the plate Saturday before his quad forced him out of the game in the fourth inning. More will be known regarding the severity of his injury after the Pirates' medical staff completes its evaluation, but any missed time for the 32-year-old would likely result in extra starts in the outfield for Billy Cook or Nick Yorke.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Kyle Robinson: Shipped to Pirates
Rotowire
The Athletics traded Robinson to the Pirates on Saturday in exchange for Alika Williams.
Robinson reached Double-A in 2025 but was sent back to High-A at the start of the 2026 campaign and has posted a 3.62 ERA and 1.37 WHIP alongside a 19:13 K:BB across 27.1 innings. The 22-year-old righty will likely remain at High-A to begin his tenure in the Pirates organization and aim to return to Double-A by the end of the season.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Marcell Ozuna: Tallies fifth homer
Rotowire
Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Friday against the Phillies.
Ozuna took Aaron Nola deep in the fifth inning to record his fifth home run of the season. While his season-long numbers are still lagging behind expectations, Ozuna has hit .244 with three homers, eight RBI and eight runs scored across 12 games since the start of May.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Dennis Santana: Ugly showing in extra-inning loss
Rotowire
Santana (2-3) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits without recording an out to take the loss Friday against the Phillies.
Santana worked the 10th inning, following Gregory Soto, who blew a three-run lead one frame prior. Santana allowed a leadoff double and three consecutive singles before being pulled, and he's now allowed multiple earned runs in three of his last seven appearances. He also hasn't logged a save since April 15 and isn't likely to see many chances in the near future given his current form.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Gregory Soto: Blows second save
Rotowire
Soto was charged with his second blown save of the season Friday in an 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks in the ninth inning.
With the Pirates holding an 8-5 lead, the southpaw was called in to get them across the finish line, but a Konnor Griffin error put the first batter aboard and things unraveled from there. It was the first time since April 10 that Soto has issued multiple walks, but he's been scored upon in back-to-back appearances, inflating his ERA on the season from 1.33 to 2.42 to go along with a 0.85 WHIP and 26:9 K:BB through 22.1 innings. His job security as the team's primary closing option likely didn't slip, however, as Dennis Santana failed to record an out while taking the loss in the 10th.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Brandon Lowe: Two homers not enough Friday
Rotowire
Lowe went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI in Friday's 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies.
The second baseman launched a two-run homer off Aaron Nola in the third inning before adding a solo shot off Tim Mayza in the fifth, but Kyle Schwarber and the Phillies' offense took control from there. It was Lowe's third multi-homer game of the season, and through his first 39 contests with Pittsburgh he's slashing .252/.352/.563 with 12 long balls, 26 runs and 31 RBI.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Settles for no-decision Friday
Rotowire
Ashcraft didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 11-9 extra-inning loss to the Phillies, giving up four runs on seven hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out five without walking a batter.
The 26-year-old righty had a quality start through six innings with the Pirates holding a 6-3 lead, but manager Don Kelly tried to coax one more frame out of Ashcraft. He got two outs after a leadoff single, but then got lifted after 100 pitches (76 strikes) and had to watch Mason Montgomery serve up a two-run shot to Kyle Schwarber, with the rest of the bullpen ultimately costing Ashcraft his third win of the year. Ashcraft will take a 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 56:14 K:BB through 55.1 innings into his next start, which is set to come on the road next week in St. Louis.
Pirates' Henry Davis: Absent from lineup again Friday
Rotowire
Davis is not in the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Phillies.
Davis had appeared set for near-daily catching reps after Joey Bart (foot) went on the injured list earlier this week, but Endy Rodriguez is drawing a second start in a row behind the dish Friday. The two catchers could split starts fairly evenly while Bart is out unless someone distinguishes themselves.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Taking seat Friday
Rotowire
Gonzales is absent from the lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies.
After starting 21 games in a 22-game stretch, Gonzales has now been on the bench for two straight for the first time since mid-April. It will be Jared Triolo handling the hot corner again for the Pirates.
Pirates' Jared Triolo: Draws second straight start
Rotowire
Triolo went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk Thursday against the Rockies.
Triolo was in the lineup for the second consecutive game, the first of which came at first base and the latter at third. He's gone 3-for-5 in that very small sample, and the Pirates could continue to find him playing due to the strength of his defense. However, Triolo has struggled offensively for nearly the entirety of his career, with his lone fantasy contribution likely to come from stolen bases.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Endy Rodriguez: Looks good in season debut
Rotowire
Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBI on Thursday against the Rockies.
Rodriguez was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, but his start behind the plate Thursday was his season debut. He immediately made a strong impression, doubling in his first at-bat before driving in two with a single one frame later. Rodriguez is likely to remain behind Henry Davis on the depth chart for the time being, but Rodriguez could force his way into the lineup if he continues to deliver at the dish.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Carmen Mlodzinski: Earns win in bulk role
Rotowire
Mlodzinski (3-3) earned the win Thursday over the Rockies, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out two.
After Mason Montgomery and Evan Sisk combined to blank Colorado through two innings, Mlodzinski entered in the third with the Pirates already ahead 3-0. The 27-year-old Mlodzinski has had an up-and-down year overall, but he's now allowed just two runs in each of his past two outings. The right-hander's ERA sits at 4.40 with a 1.44 WHIP and 43:16 K:BB across 45 innings this season.
... See More... See Less
Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn: Homers again Thursday
Rotowire
O'Hearn went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-2 win over the Rockies.
O'Hearn extended Pittsburgh's lead to 3-0 in the first inning with his two-run shot off Chase Dollander, his seventh homer this year. The veteran O'Hearn went 5-for-8 with a pair of home runs in his last two games after going just 9-for-47 (.191) with no homers and one extra-base hit in his previous 12 contests. Overall, O'Hearn's slashing .299/.375/.474 with 29 RBI and 26 runs scored across 176 plate appearances this season.
Pirates' Carmen Mlodzinski: Bulk-relief outing on tap
Rotowire
Mlodzinski is slated to pitch in bulk relief behind opening pitcher Mason Montgomery in Thursday's game against the Rockies in Pittsburgh, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Mlodzinski will work behind an opener for the second time this season, with the right-hander having previously followed Montgomery in an April 15 game against the Nationals. The arrangement didn't end up suppressing Mlodzinski's workload; in fact, the 27-year-old covered six innings in that game against Washington, matching his longest appearance of the season. Montgomery is likely to work just an inning or two before handing the ball over to Mlodzinski, who takes a 4.50 ERA and 1.45 WHIP into Thursday's contest.
1:02
1:20
0:35
1:00
0:59
0:46
1:33
0:45
1:56
0:44
11:13
11:25
12:59
0:59
0:51
10:24
1:16
0:56
0:55
0:55
