Pittsburgh Pirates News

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Ryan O'Hearn • 1B • Pirates

Ryan O'Hearn, Pirates Agree on Two-Year Deal

Free-agent first baseman Ryan O'Hearn and the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed on a two-year, $29 million contract, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. The deal also includes $500,000 in performance bonuses for each season. For the Pirates, O'Hearn should split time between first base and designated hitter and slide right into the middle of the lineup. In 2025, the 32-year-old left-handed hitter posted a .272 xBA with a 10.7% walk rate while hitting 21 home runs across 544 plate appearances for the Baltimore Orioles and the San Diego Padres. Even though the Pirates aren't a great offensive team, O'Hearn should have the freedom to play every day. Overall, you don't need to bump him up your board much, but you should feel more confident clicking his name on draft day.

Dec 24

Dominic Fletcher • RF • Pirates

Dominic Fletcher Joining Pirates on Minor-League Deal

The Pittsburgh Pirates have added some depth by signing outfielder Dominic Fletcher to a minor-league contract. The 28-year-old will get an invitation to spring training to catch on as outfield depth. Fletcher is a former second-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2019. He hasn't panned out at the MLB level yet, but maybe a change of scenery will help. Fletcher is slashing .233/.280/.325 with four home runs and 33 RBI across 112 big league games between the D-Backs and Chicago White Sox. He played well in Triple-A Charlotte last season, so hopefully he can bring it to the next level. This doesn't seem like anything more than a depth move for Pittsburgh.

Dec 23

Brandon Lowe • 2B • Pirates

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe, left-hander Mason Montgomery, and outfielder Jake Mangum. In return, the Tampa Bay Rays received right-hander Anderson Brito and outfielder Jacob Melton. The Houston Astros acquired right-hander Mike Burrows. Lowe will give the Pirates some much-needed pop in their lineup. The 31-year-old hit 31 home runs last year with a .256/.307/.477 slashine, good for a 114 wRC+. Montgomery projects as a serviceable middle reliever with nasty stuff, while Mangum should immediately rank among the Pirates' better defensive outfielders. The Rays add more upper-level prospect depth to their farm system in Brito and Melton. Meanwhile, the Astros acquire an up-and-coming right-hander in Burrows, who has less than a year of service time and still has an option remaining.

Dec 20

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Agrees to One-Year Deal With Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates and left-handed reliever Gregory Soto have agreed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal, sources tell Jorge Castillo of ESPN. Soto, 30, posted a 4.18 ERA (3.49 SIERA) with a 25.1% strikeout rate across 60 1/3 innings in 2025. For the Pirates, Soto is expected to serve as a high-leverage reliever and could see opportunities in the closer role, depending on matchups. From a fantasy perspective, Soto will be most valuable in leagues that count holds as a category.

Dec 10

Mike Burrows • SP • Pirates

Astros Interested in Trading for Mike Burrows?

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports that the Houston Astros have spoken to the Pittsburgh Pirates about right-hander Mike Burrows. However, those talks have cooled since the Pirates acquired outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia from the Boston Red Sox recently. Houston is seeking controllable young starting pitchers and could offer center fielder Jake Meyers in return. Burrows, 26, is coming off his second major-league season with the Pirates in 2025. In 96 innings pitched, he went 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA (4.00 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with 97 strikeouts and 31 walks in 23 appearances (19 starts). He mostly features a fastball, changeup, and a slider, with all three pitches getting plenty of swings and misses. Burrows has been overshadowed in Pittsburgh by all their talented young arms, but he could become an intriguing flier in fantasy leagues in 2026 if he's moved to the Astros and joins their starting rotation.

Dec 9

Marco Luciano • OF • Pirates

Pirates Claim Marco Luciano Off Waivers From Giants

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed infielder/outfielder Marco Luciano off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Friday, according to Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Luciano was one of the Giants' top overall prospects just a few years ago, but he has not panned out. The 24-year-old Dominican made his major-league debut in 2023 but played in only 14 games. Luciano also surfaced with the Giants for 27 games in 2024. Overall, he hit a disappointing .217/.286/.304 with a .590 OPS, no home runs, three RBI, 14 runs scored, 11 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 126 plate appearances. He also struggled at Triple-A Sacramento in 2025, hitting .214 (99-for-462), although he did hit 23 home runs while driving in 66 in 125 games. The post-hype sleeper will hope the change of scenery flips a switch. Luciano came up as a shortstop, but he dabbled in the outfield this past season.

Dec 5

Jhostynxon Garcia • CF • Pirates

Pirates Acquire Jhostynxon Garcia From Red Sox

The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia from the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Johan Oviedo, left-hander Tyler Samaniego, and catcher Adonys Guzman, sources tell ESPN's Jeff Passan. The Pirates will receive another player in addition to Garcia, who should have a shot in spring training to win the starting left field job in Pittsburgh in 2026. The 22-year-old Venezuelan nicknamed The Password made his big-league debut in Boston this year and had a double in nine plate appearances with two walks and five strikeouts in just five games played. Garcia hit .267/.340/.470 with an .810 OPS, 21 home runs, 75 RBI, 79 runs scored, and seven steals in 114 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester in the minors before his call-up. The 6-foot, 163-pounder is listed as Pittsburgh's No. 6 prospect on MLB Pipeline and is known for producing high exit velocities and has the raw power to produce 25 to 30 homers a year as a full-time player for the Bucs.

Dec 5

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Konnor Griffin Could Compete for Starting Shortstop Job in 2026

ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that the Pittsburgh Pirates are "strongly considering" giving 19-year-old Konnor Griffin "the opportunity to win their big-league shortstop job," according to sources. Kriffin was the consensus minor-league player of the year in 2025 after wowing scouts by hitting .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases in his first professional season. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder was the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft. Griffin has immense talent, but the last teenager to debut in the major leagues as a teenager was Juan Soto in 2018. It could be a situation that ends up biting the Pirates, but with a front-line starting rotation and a potential fresh batch of free-agent bats, the addition of Griffin would make the Bucs an exciting group to watch. As for Griffin's fantasy value, he clearly has the tools to be worth rostering in all leagues immediately if he's with Pittsburgh early in 2026.

Nov 19

Paul Skenes • SP • Pirates

Paul Skenes the Unanimous NL Cy Young Winner

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes won the National League Cy Young award on Wednesday night, getting all 30 first-place votes one season after winning Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez finished second in the voting, with Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto coming in third. It's crazy how quickly Skenes has become one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. In his first two years in the majors, Skenes' 1.96 career ERA is the lowest through 55 starts in any pitcher's career since 1920. The former first overall pick out of LSU only got 3.4 runs of support per game, the third-lowest of any qualified pitcher in 2025. His MLB-best 1.97 ERA was more than a half-run lower than his closest competition in the NL. Skenes is the first pitcher in MLB to have a sub-2.00 ERA with at least 185 innings since Jacob deGrom did it in 2018. He's going to be a mainstay as the top-rated fantasy starting pitcher for years to come.

Nov 13

Paul Skenes • SP • Pirates

Pirates Won't Trade Paul Skenes

USA Today Sports' Bob Nightengale reports that the Pittsburgh Pirates "won't even listen to trade proposals" for right-hander Paul Skenes. The 23-year-old pitching phenom is already one of the best pitchers in baseball, but the rebuilding Pirates won't consider trading away the former first overall pick and the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year. Skenes is already a two-time All-Star and followed up his special first year in the big leagues by going 10-10 with a league-best 1.97 ERA (2.36 FIP) and league-best 0.95 WHIP with a career-best 216 strikeouts and 42 walks in 187 2/3 innings over his 32 starts. Skenes headlines an intriguing young pitching staff for the Bucs that will remain the strength of their team heading into next season. In fantasy baseball, Skenes will be the most coveted No. 1 starter.

Nov 11

Dugan Darnell • RP • Pirates

Pirates Claim Dugan Darnell Off Waivers From the Rockies

The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed right-hander Dugan Darnell (hip) off waivers from the Colorado Rockies on Friday and placed him on the 60-day injured list, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Darnell made his major-league debut in Colorado in 2025 and pitched to a 3.86 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with seven walks and five strikeouts in just 11 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Rockies. The 28-year-old had a 3.19 ERA in 53 2/3 innings at Triple-A Albuquerque. Darnell mixes in a four-seam fastball that averaged 93.7 mph this year and also uses a slider and splitter. His 2025 season was cut short by a torn labrum in his left hip in late August. It's unclear if Darnell will be ready for spring training in mid-February, but when he's healthy, he'll be competing for a middle-relief role in Pittsburgh.

Nov 1

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Remains Out on Friday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (ankle) remains out of the starting nine for Friday's series opener against the hosting Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Alexander Canario is starting in center field and will hit seventh against Braves left-hander Joey Wentz. Cruz injured his left ankle on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds and will sit out for the second straight game. With Pittsburgh having nothing to play for in the final series of the season this weekend, they won't rush the 26-year-old back into the lineup. If this is it for the Dominican in 2025, he will finish just a hair over the Mendoza Line with a .201 batting average (94-for-467) in 133 games. It's by far the lowest average in his five big-league seasons, but Cruz was still able to reach the 20-homer mark for the second straight season and also has stolen a league-high 38 bases. His swing-and-miss tendencies have to be a real concern heading into 2026, though.

Sep 26

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Exits With Ankle Injury on Wednesday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (ankle) exited the team's game against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday with discomfort in his left ankle, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Cruz suffered the injury when he collided with the wall in center field in the eighth inning, and the Pirates brought in Jack Suwinski to replace him in the ninth. He ended the night 0-for-4 with three strikeouts to continue a prolonged slump. Cruz posted an unsightly .502 OPS in August and entered Wednesday's game with a .584 mark over 18 games in September. While Cruz has smacked 20 homers and totaled a career-high 38 stolen bases this season, he has registered a disappointing .201/.300/.381 line with 61 RBI and 62 runs scored in 540 plate appearances.

Sep 25

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Konnor Griffin Named Minor-League Player of the Year

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop/outfield prospect Konnor Griffin earned Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year honors after a meteoric rise to the top of the prospect ranks. The 2024 first-rounder was the Pirates' second-ranked prospect in May of this year and No. 37 overall, but by August he was the new No. 1 overall prospect in baseball. The 19-year-old's season began at Single-A but finished at Double-A, slashing .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 50 stolen bases across all three levels. It would seem that he's ready for a test a Triple-A next season, although given his age, he may not see the majors until late in the year or even 2027. Regardless, the 6-foot-4 slugger needs to be stashed away in dynasty leagues if not already rostered.

Sep 23

Hunter Barco • SP • Pirates

Hunter Barco to be Called Up for MLB Debut

Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Hunter Barco is getting called up to the majors from Triple-A Indianapolis for what will be his big league debut. The Pirates' fourth-ranked prospect (MLB No. 82) had a great season, which began at Double-A, where he did not allow a single earned run in six starts (25 2/3 innings pitched) before getting promoted to Triple-A. The 24-year-old made 21 appearances at Indianapolis (17 starts), where he posted a 3.79 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and struck out 82 batters in 73 2/3 IP. The walk rate jumped to 13.0 percent at Triple-A after not reaching more than 8.7 percent at any prior stop, so it's something to keep an eye on, although he could have just been working on some things, too. The southpaw worked in relief in four of his last five appearances, so that could be where Pittsburgh deploys him over the final week of the season.

Sep 22

Bubba Chandler • SP • Pirates

Bubba Chandler to Start on Saturday

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler will start on Saturday against the Athletics, manager Don Kelly announced. It'll be the third start for the highly touted Chandler, who has gone 2-1 with a 5.66 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and 19:4 K:BB over five appearances and 20 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old was brilliant last Saturday in a win over the Washington Nationals, whom he held to one run on two hits with seven strikeouts against no walks in six frames. He'll face a stiff test versus the Athletics' offense, which is seventh in the majors in OPS and 12th in runs scored in 2025. The A's rank an even better third and eighth, respectively, in those categories this month.

Sep 20

Rafael Flores • C • Pirates

Rafael Flores Called Up from Triple-A Indianapolis for Debut

Pittsburgh Pirates first base/catcher prospect Rafael Flores is getting called up from Triple-A Indianapolis for what will be his major league debut. The Pirates' eighth-ranked prospect came over to Pittsburgh in the trade that sent David Bednar to the Yankees in early August. During his time at Indianapolis, the 24-year-old hit .281 with six home runs in 36 games, and for the season, he is slashing a solid .280/.354/.470 with 22 home runs. The strikeout rate is somewhat elevated at 25.7 percent, but if he can continue to hit for power while drawing walks at a decent rate, it may not matter. Current Pirate backstops Joey Bart and Henry Davis have combined for eight home runs this season and are hitting a combined .201, so Flores could provide an offensive boost at the position, although he won't be fantasy relevant unless he's getting regular starts, which remains to be seen.

Sep 16

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Absent from Monday's Lineup

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Cruz will head to the bench for the third time in the last five games. The first two times were because a left-handed starter was on the mound, but right-hander Jameson Taillon is drawing the start for the Cubbies on Monday. Cruz has been awful with the bat in the second half of the season. Luckily, his power and speed give him enough upside to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats. Jack Suwinski will take over in center field during Monday's contest.

Sep 15

Jack Suwinski • RF • Pirates

Jack Suwinski Back From the Injured List

Pittsburgh Pirates interim manager Don Kelly said that outfielder Jack Suwinski (groin) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Monday, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. In a corresponding move, the team optioned outfielder Ji Hwan Bae to Triple-A Indianapolis. The Pirates have yet to release their starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the division-rival Chicago Cubs, so it's unclear if Suwisnki will go right back into the starting nine. The 27-year-old has been out since late August with a groin strain and figures to at least be a lineup regular for the Bucs against right-handed pitchers over the final few weeks of the 2025 season. Suwinski hit two homers in three minor-league rehab games, but he's gone just 16-for-121 (.132) with three home runs, eight RBI, and six steals in 48 games in the majors this year.

Sep 15

Bubba Chandler • SP • Pirates

Bubba Chandler Shines on Saturday

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Bubba Chandler turned in the best start of his young career in a 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday. Chandler, who did not factor into the decision, took a perfect game into the sixth inning before allowing two singles and an earned run. The Pirates pulled him after six, and Chandler finished the game with seven strikeouts and no walks on 81 pitches (56 strikes). It was an encouraging bounce-back performance by the 22-year-old, who the Milwaukee Brewers rocked for nine earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in his first career start last Sunday. In five appearances since the Pirates promoted him on Aug. 22, Chandler has recorded a 5.66 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP, 19 strikeouts, and four walks over 20 2/3 frames. He's scheduled to make his next start on Friday against the Athletics.

Sep 14

Pittsburgh Pirates News

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