All articles tagged with #pirates
Shota Imanaga carried the Cubs through six hitless innings with nine strikeouts, but Pittsburgh finally pushed across two runs after he left, as Caleb Thielbar allowed a hit and a homer to spark the Pirates’ 2-0 win. The Cubs squandered chances and couldn’t mount the offense despite Imanaga’s brilliant start.
The Pittsburgh Pirates awarded their top MLB prospect, Konnor Griffin, a nine-year, $140 million contract—the largest in franchise history with no options or deferrals—announced after his MLB debut; the deal solidifies Griffin as a cornerstone of Pittsburgh’s future as the team looks to build around its rising talent, including pitcher Paul Skenes.
A viral Pirates fan celebration called 'hoist the cone' has spurred traffic cone thefts, with ABM Parking saying 25 cones were stolen on opening day; authorities warn that stealing cones is illegal and fines start at $50, while the origin of the trend remains unclear.
The Mets erupt for five runs in the bottom of the first, chasing reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes after only 37 pitches, as a revamped lineup powers an Opening Day win over the Pirates at Citi Field.
Pirates ace Paul Skenes was lifted after two-thirds of an inning on Opening Day in New York, charged with five runs on 37 pitches as the Mets surged back; two misplays by outfielder Oneil Cruz helped fuel the rally, but there were no injuries. Skenes—who is dating influencer Livvy Dunne—had entered the season with high hopes, and Dunne’s schedule has included Baywatch filming and a reported $3 million Manhattan condo purchase.
Opening Day 2026 kicked off NBC/Peacock’s doubleheader (Pirates at Mets; Dodgers vs Diamondbacks) with a wave of early highlights, including the Mets’ 11-7 win over the Pirates as Carson Benge homered in his MLB debut and Francisco Alvarez followed with a blast after Paul Skenes exited in the first; the day also featured Kyle Schwarber’s early homer for the Phillies, Munetaka Murakami’s first MLB homer for the White Sox, Ketel Marte leadoff for Arizona, and a historic ABS overturn on a Mets strikeout. The broadcast also covers offseason moves (Nico Hoerner, Pete Crow-Armstrong extensions) and ongoing opening-day updates across MLB’s slate.
Live Opening Day updates center on Paul Skenes’ rough Pirates debut against the Mets, a crucial Francisco Alvarez challenge that helped the Mets extend their lead, and Brandon Lowe’s two homers for Pittsburgh, plus Chase Meidroth’s 417-foot leadoff shot for the White Sox, with day-long previews and predictions for the rest of the schedule.
Opening Day Part 2 kicks off MLB's schedule today with Pirates at Mets in NYC, following yesterday's Yankees-Giants opener; Tyler O’Neill aims to extend his six-year Opening Day homer streak in Baltimore against the Twins; Freddy Peralta makes his first official Mets start against reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes and a revamped Pirates lineup.
Mets' Opening Day vs the Pirates will be aired on NBC/Peacock (first pitch 1:15 PM EDT on March 26, 2026) instead of Gary, Keith and Ron; TV on NBC/Peacock, radio on Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, and 92.3 HD2. Howie Rose is in his final season on radio; NBC/Peacock’s booth will feature Matt Vasgersian with Al Leiter and Neil Walker, with Adam Ottavino doing pregame analysis. For those who want to sync radio to video, tools like Audio Hijack can help time-shift the feeds.
In a NL Central swap, the Pirates send reliever Kyle Nicolas to the Reds for lefty-hitting Tyler Callihan. Nicolas is a hard-throwing pitcher with control issues who could anchor a middle-relief role, while Callihan is a young, bat-first prospect who debuted last year but suffered a season-ending injury, projecting as a versatile player in left field or at first base.
Austin Riley homered 419 feet and Bryce Elder threw two solid innings as Atlanta beat Pittsburgh 3-1 in Grapefruit League action. Riley’s shot capped the scoring after Drake Baldwin's quirky early triple, while Elder struck out three with no walks. Skenes struggled in his spring debut, and the Braves drew four walks off him as they used seven relievers in a breezy win. The Braves travel to Tampa to face the Yankees tomorrow.
The Pirates and top prospect Konnor Griffin are open to negotiating a long-term extension as Griffin nears his 20th birthday. Widely regarded as baseball’s top prospect entering 2026, he could command a nine-figure guarantee if the sides agree, though they’d balance current value against potential earnings in free agency. Griffin’s minor-league resume (122 games, 21 HR, 65 SB, .333/.415/.527) and his speed/defense keep him central to Pittsburgh’s plans, with opening-day promotion possibilities and strategic contract structures on the table.
In a Fort Myers Grapefruit League clash, home plate umpire Mitch Trzeciak saw five of his calls overturned by ABS, drawing cheers when one was upheld; the Pirates beat the Red Sox 16-7, and Wilyer Abreu briefly broke his bat on a check swing.
In a Grapefruit League game between the Pirates and Red Sox, umpire Mitch Trzeciak’s first two innings were marred by ABS reversals—three challenges overturned, including a first-pitch ball—leaving him with five consecutive calls overturned and highlighting ABS as a tool to refine umpires’ strike zones.
The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract with Marcell Ozuna (pending a physical), adding a right-handed bat to bolster the lineup. Ozuna will earn $10.5 million in 2026 with a $1.5 million buyout on a $16 million mutual option for 2027. The 35-year-old had a down 2025 season (.232/.355/.400, 21 HR) hampered by a hip injury and declining bat speed, but Pittsburgh hopes he can produce as a designated hitter. The move pushes payroll to about $105 million, reshapes the lineup with Ozuna, O’Hearn, Lowe and Horwitz, and effectively ends Andrew McCutchen’s Pirates tenure while boosting odds for a wild-card push.