Pittsburgh Pirates News

CENTRAL

Rafael Flores Jr. • C • Pirates

Pirates Call Up Prospect Rafael Flores Jr., a Worth Waiver-Wire Target?

The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up catcher/first base prospect Rafael Flores Jr. from Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday to take the roster spot of catcher Endy Rodriguez (glute), who is going on the 10-day injured list with a left-glute strain, manager Don Kelly told Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Flores, 25, made his big-league debut last year and played in only seven games. He also was up with the Pirates' big-league squad earlier this year, but he appeared in just two games. In 22 total plate appearances in the majors, Flores has gone 5-for-18 with a homer, two RBI, two runs, four walks, and seven strikeouts. The former undrafted free agent out of Rio Hondo College will most likely just serve as catching depth behind Henry Davis to close out the first season this week, so fantasy managers in most leagues can ignore him off the waiver wire for now. In 65 games and 276 plate appearances at Indy this year, Flores has hit just .228/.362/.342 with a .704 OPS, four homers, 38 RBI, and 33 runs scored.

14 hours ago

Ryan O'Hearn • RF • Pirates

Ryan O'Hearn Goes Off for Three Homers, 10 RBI in Rout of Braves

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn made Pirates history on Tuesday night in the team's 12-4 blowout win at PNC Park over the visiting Atlanta Braves. O'Hearn was locked in at the plate, going 4-for-5 with three home runs and a franchise-record 10 RBI to raise his season average to .293 and his OPS to .851. The left-handed-hitting slugger lifted a grand slam and two three-run homers to become the 17th player in the modern era with at least 10 RBI in a single game. O'Hearn was already in consideration as a waiver-wire target during his breakout campaign in 2026, and now he really is after his monstrous performance on Tuesday. He's now slashing .293/.351/.500 with 16 long balls, 61 RBI, 47 runs scored, and a stolen base in 319 plate appearances in his first season in the Steel City. O'Hearn has hit safely in eight of his last nine starts and is sizzling hot as we approach next week's All-Star break. He's rostered in only 65% of Yahoo leagues, but that number is about to rise after he went nuclear against Atlanta.

Yesterday

Spencer Horwitz • 1B • Pirates

Spencer Horwitz Begins a Running Program

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) has started a running program in Florida, according to MLB.com's Alex Stumpf. Horwitz is making progress from a left-hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined for a couple of weeks, but he's getting closer to a return and could be reinstated from the 10-day injured list shortly after next week's All-Star break. He'll most likely need a short minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the big-league roster later this month. The 28-year-old former 24th-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 out of Radford University is in the midst of his best season in the big leagues in his second year in the Steel City in 2026, hitting .280 (69-for-246) with 10 home runs, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, and a stolen base in 74 games across 295 plate appearances. Horwitz is three homers away from setting a new career high in the category, and he's become a waiver-wire target in deeper leagues for his left-handed power. He's only hitting 10-for-43 (.233) against left-handers, though, with one of his 10 home runs.

Yesterday

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Resumes Swinging a Bat

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) has resumed swinging a bat as he works his way back from a fractured left hand, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. Cruz is making good progress, but he's not expected to return from the 10-day injured list until shortly after next week's All-Star break from July 13-16. Barring a setback on what should be a short minor-league rehab assignment, Cruz should be back for fantasy managers later this month. The 27-year-old Dominican outfielder remains a high-end, five-category contributor when he's healthy, so he should be rostered in all fantasy leagues while he recovers from his hand injury. Cruz is hitting .264/.350/.472 on the year with an .822 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases across his 250 at-bats in 2026. He's striking out at a 34.6% clip, which is concerning, but when he does make contact, it's usually hit hard. Cruz ranks in the 100th percentile in hard-hit rate, the 96th percentile in barrel rate, and the 85th percentile in expected slugging percentage.

Yesterday

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Konnor Griffin to Miss 8-10 Weeks With Finger Injury

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) is officially going on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk told Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Griffin will be in a splint for six weeks and is expected to be out for eight to 10 weeks. It's a tough break for the Pirates and for Griffin's fantasy managers, as he's not expected to be back until early in September. Jared Triolo will most likely handle most of the playing time at the 6 with Griffin out, with Nick Gonzales being another option in Pittsburgh's middle infield. Griffin, the top prospect in all of baseball going into the start of the 2026 campaign, has been a strong contributor for the Bucs in his first big-league season, slashing .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 35 runs scored in his 225 at-bats. He won't have a ton of time left to make an impact in fantasy once he returns from his finger injury, but Griffin's power/speed upside makes him worth stashing in most leagues in the meantime.

Yesterday

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Konnor Griffin Could Miss at Least a Month With Torn Tendon in his Finger

Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin (finger) is dealing with a torn tendon in his left ring finger, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. Griffin could play through the injury, but rehab is the likeliest option and would keep him out for at least a month. The Pirates already have outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) and first baseman Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) on the injured list with the All-Star break looming next week. The 20-year-old rookie phenom recently returned from a forearm injury in late June, and now he could miss another month-plus with his finger ailment. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 has the potential to be a perennial All-Star as one of the best shortstops in the big leagues. In his first MLB season, he has hit .276/.332/.404 with a .736 OPS, five home runs, 25 RBI, 35 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases across his 225 at-bats. Griffin should be stashed everywhere if he returns to the IL, which seems likely, after injuring his finger while making a diving catch in Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals. Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo are both options to take over at the 6 in Pittsburgh with Griffin hurt again.

Yesterday

Nick Gonzales • 3B • Pirates

Nick Gonzales a Must-Add While the Bat Is This Hot?

Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales is making it harder to explain why he is still available in so many leagues. He is batting .312 with four home runs, 49 runs, 40 RBI, and four steals through 317 at-bats, and the bat has stayed hot into July. Gonzales is 13-for-27 over his last seven games and 22-for-54 with two homers, 11 runs, and seven RBI over his last 15. The appeal is not just one hot week. Gonzales qualifies at second base, third base, and shortstop in RotoBaller's rankings, which makes the production easier to fit into fantasy lineups. The power is still more useful than exciting, with a 2.8% barrel rate, so managers should not add him expecting a home-run surge. But a .300-plus bat with runs, RBI, a few steals, and that much eligibility should be rostered. Gonzales is at 30% on Yahoo and belongs in 12-team leagues.

2 days ago

Spencer Horwitz • 1B • Pirates

Spencer Horwitz Could Return Shortly After All-Star Break

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that first baseman Spencer Horwitz (hamstring) is progressing well in Florida, but he will be sidelined until after the All-Star break next week, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Colin Beazley. However, Horwitz is still expected to come off the 10-day injured list in July, with the hope that it's not too long after the break. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter was placed on the IL on June 25 with a strained left hamstring, but it appears he should be ready to go on a minor-league rehab assignment sooner rather than later. Before landing on the shelf, the former 24th-round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 out of Radford University was hitting a strong .280/.386/.455 with an .842 OPS, 10 homers, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 246 at-bats in his second year in the Steel City. Horwitz needs just three more home runs to set a new career high in the category. He's rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues while he rehabs.

2 days ago

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Still Expected to Return in July

Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that outfielder Oneil Cruz (hand) is progressing well in Florida and is expected to return in July, according to Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Cruz won't make it back from the 10-day injured list before the All-Star break next week, but the Pirates are hoping he'll be back early in the second half later this month. The 27-year-old ditched his cast and resumed baseball activities at the team's complex in Florida last week. Cruz is nearing a minor-league rehab assignment and could be back for fantasy managers near the start of the second half of the season on July 17. The Dominican outfielder and former shortstop is a five-category contributor when healthy, so he should be stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. He will be returning to a .264/.350/.472 slash line, .822 OPS, 14 home runs, 44 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases when he's reinstated from the IL.

2 days ago

Jhostynxon Garcia • RF • Pirates

Jhostynxon Garcia Hitting Skid at Triple-A, No Longer Worth Rostering?

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia earned a stint in the Steel City earlier in June but was quickly optioned back to the minor leagues. Over a brief 13-game stint with the Pirates, Garcia posted a .200/.243/.299 slash line with just one extra-base hit (a double). Since moving back to Indianapolis, Garcia has seen these struggles continue as he has held a modest .244/.313/.360 line with a .674 OPS. However, before his call-up to the majors, Garcia was flashing immense upside at the Triple-A level, which put him on the stash radar of many fantasy managers. Over his last 18 games ahead of his promotion. Garcia carried a dominant .326/.365/.632 line with three doubles and six home runs. Managers should continue to monitor his power output, but given his lengthy slump, he should not be stashed in any standard 12-team leagues for the time being.

2 days ago

Mason Montgomery • RP • Pirates

Mason Montgomery the Next Closer to Roster in Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery is pushing into the ninth-inning conversation as the club mixes its late-inning assignments. Montgomery struck out the side in a non-save ninth against Philadelphia on July 2, one inning after Gregory Soto handled the top of the order. The 26-year-old has a 4.50 ERA and 1.35 WHIP through 34 innings, but his 50 strikeouts are the main reason to speculate on him. No one has taken control of the job. Montgomery still has zero saves, Soto owns 11, and Dennis Santana has two, so fantasy managers are betting on the next opportunity rather than a settled role. FanGraphs lists all three in the closer committee, while RotoBaller recommends Montgomery in 12-team leagues. He is rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues and is worth adding for saves speculation, though managers should expect uneven ratios and a committee for now.

3 days ago

Esmerlyn Valdez • RF • Pirates

Esmerlyn Valdez a Top Power Option on the Waiver Wire?

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez has played his way into a meaningful role. He has started six straight games in right field, with the last four coming from the cleanup spot. Through his first 69 plate appearances, the 22-year-old hit .339 with six home runs, 16 RBI, and a 1.133 OPS. He stayed productive after his four-game homer streak ended, going 6-for-14 with four RBI from July 1-3. The strikeouts are the obvious concern. Valdez has fanned in 31.9% of his plate appearances, while his .269 expected average sits well below his .339 mark. What happens when he connects is the draw: a 29.3% barrel rate, 53.7% hard-hit rate, and .634 expected slugging percentage. He has not stolen a base, making this a power pickup rather than a five-category play. RotoBaller recommends adding Valdez in 10-team leagues, and he is still rostered in only 47% of Yahoo formats. Managers looking for home runs and RBI should check the wire now.

4 days ago

Edward Florentino • OF • Pirates

Edward Florentino Starting to Turn the Corner at High-A

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Edward Florentino endured some growing pains over his first stint at High-A Greensboro but has since begun to turn the corner. Over his last 15 games of action at this level (June 13 - July 2), Florentino has carried a sharp .293/.397/.534 line with a strong .932 OPS. Over this 15-game stint, Florentino has hit three doubles, hit three home runs, and even chipped in two stolen bases. Prior to this stretch, Florentino carried a much lower .184/.331/.325 line with one double and five home runs over his first 31 games at the High-A level. Currently, the 19-year-old is viewed as the No.34-ranked prospect in the sport on MLB.com and the team's No. 2-ranked prospect. Dynasty managers should continue to keep a close eye on his progression as he could be given a late-season taste of Double-A if he maintains this pace.

4 days ago

Ryan O'Hearn • RF • Pirates

Ryan O'Hearn Continues to Surge, Worth a Waiver-Wire Addition

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn has enjoyed his first year in the Steel City and has backed up his first All-Star appearance from a year ago, slashing .285/.340/.471 with an .811 OPS, 13 home runs, 51 RBI, 41 runs scored, and a stolen base in 73 games across 300 plate appearances. He is clearly on pace to set new career highs across the board if he stays healthy in the second half. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed hitter has been hitting even better in his last 15 games, going 20-for-63 (.317) with three home runs, six doubles, 16 RBI, and 10 runs scored in 65 plate appearances. That stretch includes five multi-hit games. O'Hearn is now an everyday player, and most importantly, he's improved against same-handed pitchers, hitting .240 (18-for-75) with three of his 13 home runs against left-handed pitchers. He might be producing a bit above his skis, though, with a hard-hit rate in the 62nd percentile, an xwOBA in the 51st percentile, a barrel rate in the 31st percentile, and a chase rate in the 27th percentile. Still, you can't ignore the improvements O'Hearn has made, and he's still worth considering off the waiver wire for outfield depth.

5 days ago

Paul Skenes • SP • Pirates

Paul Skenes Seems to Struggle in Seven-Run Implosion, Is it Time to Panic?

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes continued his recent slide on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, allowing six hits and a season-high seven earned runs in just four innings. Over his last six starts, the 24-year-old ace is 0-6 with a 5.36 ERA, but only a 3.58 FIP. While his metrics aren't quite as bad as his results, they still are not great. His defense has let him down repeatedly this season, and that trend continued on Wednesday, with potential outs turning into hits, runs, and more pitches for Skenes. He's definitely not been his best over the last several starts, but his teammates aren't doing much to help him either. His ceiling is too high to let him go from your fantasy team, and trading him now would definitely be selling low. He'll look to bounce back next Tuesday at home against the Braves, and for now, he's someone to hold on to and count on him to find his way through this rough patch.

6 days ago

Mason Montgomery • RP • Pirates

Mason Montgomery Worth a Look in Evolving Pirates Bullpen?

Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed reliever Mason Montgomery and right-hander Dennis Santana have risen up the closer depth chart in Pittsburgh with lefty Gregory Soto struggling of late. Montgomery was afforded a couple of save opportunities in June, but the problem is he blew both of his save chances and struggled to a 6.52 ERA (3.00 FIP) with seven earned runs allowed on 11 hits (one homer) while walking six and striking out 16 in 9 2/3 innings with a 1-2 record, two blown saves, and a hold. Overall in 2026, the 26-year-old former sixth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021 out of Texas Tech University has gone 2-3 with a 4.68 ERA (3.35 FIP), 1.41 WHIP, and 46:16 K:BB in his 32 2/3 innings pitched across 33 outings (four starts) for the Bucs. While Montgomery is a late-inning option for the Pirates in their constantly evolving bullpen, he just hasn't been consistent enough in high-leverage situations for fantasy managers to trust as a source of saves in mixed leagues. Montgomery is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues.

7 days ago

Jhostynxon Garcia • RF • Pirates

Has Jhostynxon Garcia Fallen Off the Stash Radar?

Pittsburgh Pirates outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia went 13-for-42 (.310) with two doubles and two home runs in the 12 games following his return to Triple-A Indianapolis earlier this month, but has gone just 3-for-22 (.136) in the six games since without any extra base hits. On the bright side, he's still drawn four walks during that time and stole his first base of the season. The Venezuelan debuted with the Red Sox in 2025 and has played 13 games for the Pirates in 2026, but has done little with his opportunities, going 8-for-42 (.190) with a 32.6 percent strikeout rate during his time in the majors. The Pirates' fourth-ranked prospect makes some loud contact, as evidenced by a 93rd percentile max exit velocity this season of 113.5 at Triple-A, but the right-handed slugger will need to pick it up at the plate to become a stash consideration for fantasy squads. The 23-year-old will likely be back in the big leagues at some point this season, but there is little reason to stash him at this point.

Jun 30

Nick Gonzales • 3B • Pirates

Nick Gonzales a Steady Infield Target in 12-Team Leagues?

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Nick Gonzales has provided a steady batting-average floor in a regular role at third base. He is hitting .295/.351/.370 with three home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs, and four stolen bases over 292 at-bats. Gonzales has remained productive over his last 30 games, batting .279 with three homers, 13 RBI, and 21 runs. He has usually hit fourth when in the lineup. Fantasy managers should not expect much power, though. Gonzales owns an 85.7 mph average exit velocity, 37.8% hard-hit rate, and 3.0% barrel rate, so average and runs remain the main reasons to roster him. His eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop adds value, although Pittsburgh sat him against right-hander Aaron Nola on June 29, showing that his playing time is not completely locked in. Only 24% of Yahoo leagues currently roster Gonzales. He is a solid addition in 12-team formats for fantasy managers seeking average, runs, and infield flexibility.

Jun 30

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Struggles in Eighth-Inning Opportunity

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto entered Monday's game against the Phillies in the bottom of the eighth inning with a three-run lead. He started his outing with a strikeout of Bryce Harper, but then allowed a home run to Brandon Marsh and a single to Bryson Stott, who later came around to score as well. Soto was charged with two runs on two hits in 2/3 of an inning. He did earn his seventh hold of the season, but he has allowed at least one run in five of his last eight games. He has a 14.85 ERA in those eight outings, and his season ERA is up to 4.37. As evidenced by his entry in the eighth inning, he seems to have lost his closer role to Dennis Santana and Mason Montgomery. Montgomery finished the game on Monday night in a non-save situation and seems to be the reliever to own in Pittsburgh at this point in the season.

Jun 30

Jared Jones • SP • Pirates |

Jared Jones • 1B • Pirates

Jared Jones Continues to be Inefficient, is he Worth an Add on the Waiver Wire?

Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher Jared Jones has struggled through six starts since returning from the UCL surgery he underwent in May of 2025, pitching to the tune of a 5.76 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and nine walks in 25 innings pitched. It's expected that one is to struggle from an injury like he suffered; however, the 24 year old second round pick in 2020 has been a highly viewed pitching prospect for the Pirates after he had a nice rookie campaign in 2024, where he had a 4.14 ERA (3.97 xERA) and really strong strikeout and swing and miss numbers (26.2 percent strikeout rate and 30.2 percent whiff rate). So far through his six starts in 2026, his fastball velocity remains elite (97th percentile); however, his strikeout rate is down (22.7 percent), and he's getting hit hard (90.3 mph average exit velocity and 40.8 percent hard-hit rate), all while demonstrating average control (8.2 percent walk rate). Additionally, Jones has only worked five innings once and is averaging only four innings per start, so he is being handcuffed a bit by pitch count and is inefficient. All this to say, Jones has tremendous upside, and while he is not necessarily a must-start at this time, he is still a strong person to roster that can be useful down the stretch as he continues to ramp up from his return from injury.

Jun 29

Pittsburgh Pirates News

LEGEND