Pittsburgh Pirates News

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Dennis Santana • RP • Pirates

Dennis Santana Reclaiming Ninth-Inning Role in Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Dennis Santana has picked up two saves over his last five innings pitched while posting a 1.80 ERA. Santana owns a (2-1) record with two saves while posting a 0.82 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 7:5 K:BB across 11 innings in 2026. The 30-year-old entered the ninth inning in Friday's win over the Tampa Bay Rays, but it ended up being a non-save situation. However, the good news is that Santana has appeared in the ninth inning or later in his last six appearances. He is coming off a career year in 2025, when he posted a 2.18 ERA and 0.87 WHIP and recorded 16 saves. Santana was the favorite to start the year as Pittsburgh's primary closer, but the Pirates opted to use Gregory Soto in save situations to start the year. With the recent trend of Santana handling ninth-inning duties and Soto being used primarily as a setup man, Santana is quickly reclaiming his role as the main Pirates closer.

15 hours ago

Oneil Cruz • CF • Pirates

Oneil Cruz Stays Hot With Two Hits, Becoming a Fantasy Mainstay

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz continued his hot start to the 2026 season by going 2-for-5 with a double, two stolen bases, an RBI, a run scored, and a strikeout in the team's 8-7 extra-inning loss at PNC Park to the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Cruz came into Thursday's game slashing .310/.380/.563 with a .943 OPS, five home runs, 16 RBI, seven stolen bases, 14 runs scored, seven walks, and 25 strikeouts in 18 games played. It's very nice to see for the Pirates and fantasy managers who have been waiting for Cruz's breakout season. He did have 20 home runs, 61 RBI, and a league-high 38 stolen bases in 135 games in 2025, but he also hit just .200 (94-for-471) with 174 strikeouts in 544 plate appearances. The 27-year-old Dominican has some of the best bat speed and exit velocities in the big leagues, so if he can cut down on the whiffs, his power/speed upside makes him extremely dynamic for fantasy baseball purposes.

2 days ago

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Falls into Eighth-Inning Role Again, Losing Value in Standard Leagues

Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Gregory Soto worked a scoreless eighth inning with two strikeouts in his team's 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. Pirates reliever Dennis Santana followed Soto in the ninth inning and picked up his second save of the season. While Soto also has a save in 2026, he has four holds and appears to be settling in to a setup role ahead of Santana. The 31-year-old's overall line is excellent, as he's recorded a 0.93 ERA and 0.72 WHIP with 15 strikeouts across 9 2/3 innings, so he could be in line to take over the ninth if Santana gets injured or struggles. Still, Soto's value in standard fantasy leagues is fading as the roles in Pittsburgh's bullpen start to become defined.

2 days ago

Dennis Santana • RP • Pirates

Dennis Santana Tallies Second Save, Reclaiming Closer Job in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana picked up his second save of the season on Wednesday by pitching a scoreless ninth inning in his team's 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals. Santana has now logged saves in two out of his last three appearances and appears to be reclaiming the lead closer role in Pittsburgh. Across nine innings overall in 2026, Santana owns a 1.00 ERA and 0.67 WHIP with six strikeouts. Santana has struck out just 18.8% of the batters he's faced this season and posted a 22.2% strikeout rate in 2025, so he does not carry typical ninth-inning swing-and-miss stuff. Still, he's been highly effective since being acquired by the Pirates midway through the 2024 season, recording a 2.18 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and 19 saves across 123 2/3 innings with the club. In leagues where Santana may have been dropped, he profiles as a priority waiver wire target.

3 days ago

Jared Jones • 1B • Pirates

Jared Jones to Begin Throwing Sim Games Soon

Pittsburgh Pirates head athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk said that right-hander Jared Jones (elbow) will enter the simulated-game phase of his rehab soon, according to Pirates reporter Alex Stumpf. Generally, pitchers have three to six simulated games/live batting practice sessions before a club will consider sending them on a minor-league rehab assignment. Jones started the year on the 60-day injured list, so he won't be eligible to be activated to make his 2026 season debut until May 25. The 24-year-old reportedly looked "amazing" in his most recent live BP session, but he still has a ways to go before he'll be of use to fantasy baseball managers. The Pirates will most likely ease Jones back into their rotation when he's ready, too, so patience must be exercised in fantasy. The former second-rounder in 2020 showed enough in his MLB debut in 2024 to be worth stashing in mixed leagues, going 6-8 with a 4.14 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 132 strikeouts and 39 walks in 121 2/3 innings over 22 starts.

3 days ago

Bryan Reynolds • RF • Pirates

Bryan Reynolds Taking a Seat on Thursday

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Washington Nationals at PNC Park, according to MLB.com. Billy Cook is making the start in left field for the Bucs and will bat ninth against Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin. It appears to be a normal rest day for Reynolds, a switch-hitter who typically fares better from the left side against right-handed pitchers. The 31-year-old veteran and two-time All-Star should be back in the starting lineup for the team's series opener on Friday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Reynolds is off to a strong start in 2026, going 19-for-66 (.288) at the plate with three home runs, a double, a triple, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored, and a stolen base in 80 plate appearances over 18 games played. Fantasy managers in daily leagues will want to remove him from their starting lineups on Thursday. Cook will be playing in just his 30th big-league game since debuting in 2024 with Pittsburgh. He has one hit in his four plate appearances so far in 2026 in 10 games.

3 days ago

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Konnor Griffin Getting the Day Off on Wednesday

Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin is getting the day off on Wednesday against the visiting Washington Nationals at PNC Park, according to MLB.com. Nick Gonzales will make the start at the 6 and will bat sixth, with Nick Yorke starting at third and hitting eighth against Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin. Griffin is still a teenager and won't turn 20 until April 24, but he's baseball's top overall prospect in 2026. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 didn't make the Opening Day roster, but he quickly joined the club and will be the team's starting shortstop for the foreseeable future. Griffin has incredible five-category upside in fantasy baseball, but he's gotten off to a slow start in his MLB career. In his first 11 games, he's gone 7-for-37 (.189) with two doubles, five RBI, a stolen base, five runs scored, three walks, and 12 strikeouts. It might take Griffin a bit to adjust to the speed of the majors, but he should be rostered in all formats and could quickly become a must-start player in all formats. Gonzales has faced Irvin three times in his career and has a hit and two RBI against him.

3 days ago

Carmen Mlodzinski • SP • Pirates

Carmen Mlodzinski to Serve as Bulk Reliever on Wednesday

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski will serve as the team's bulk reliever on Wednesday against the Washington Nationals, with Mason Montgomery serving as the opener, according to Danny Demilio of PittsburghBaseballNow.com. In his first three starts of the 2026 season, Mlodzinski has three no-decisions while allowing four runs, giving up 17 hits, walking six, and striking out 15 in 14 1/3 innings of work. The 27-year-old former first-rounder in 2020 out of South Carolina might have a better shot to get his first win of the 2026 season on Wednesday, but he'll also be facing a Nationals team that surprisingly ranks fourth in baseball right now with a .769 team OPS. Mlodzinski has a decent 3.20 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a 21.8% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate in his 112 appearances (20 starts) over three-plus MLB seasons.

4 days ago

Jared Jones • 1B • Pirates

Pirates Eying Late-May, Early-June Return for Jared Jones

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Don Kelly said the team is looking at the end of May or the beginning of June for right-hander Jared Jones' (elbow) potential return this year. Jones was in the Pirates' clubhouse on Monday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen at PNC Park on Tuesday. General manager Ben Cherington said that Jones used all of his pitches in his most recent bullpen session on April 6, so the 24-year-old is definitely making progress from UCL surgery. Jones opened the 2026 campaign on the 60-day injured list, which means he's not eligible to make his season debut until late May. He has been throwing off a mound for two months now, so Jones should be close to being cleared to go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The former second-rounder in 2020 had a 4.14 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 132 K's and 39 walks in 121 2/3 innings over 22 starts in his rookie year in 2024, but he missed all of last season due to his elbow injury. There's a lot to like about his long-term fantasy profile in Pittsburgh, even if the Bucs plan to ease him in when he returns this year.

5 days ago

Brandon Lowe • 2B • Pirates

Brandon Lowe Stays Hot in Monday's Blowout Win Over Nationals

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe stayed red-hot at the plate in Monday's 16-5 blowout victory over the visiting Washington Nationals at PNC Park. Lowe finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with another home run, five RBI, and two runs scored out of the two-hole in the lineup. He had a three-run homer, his third in the last two days, and drove in five runs for the second consecutive game. It's safe to say that Lowe is locked in at the plate right now in his first year in the Steel City. After Monday's strong performance, the 31-year-old veteran infielder is hitting .278 (15-for-54) with six home runs and 14 RBI in 14 games played. This isn't unheard of from Lowe, as the two-time All-Star has two 30-homer seasons in his eight years in the big leagues (all with the Tampa Bay Rays). Lowe has been hit or miss in fantasy because of his inability to stay healthy consistently, but his power at the keystone is well-documented and is still going strong in Year 9. Stick with him in fantasy lineups while he's hot.

5 days ago

Mitch Keller • SP • Pirates

Mitch Keller a Prime Waiver-Wire Target Amidst Strong Start to 2026?

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller is off to a strong beginning to his 2026 season, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.00 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts across 18 innings (three starts). The 30-year-old has yet to give up a home run this season, and opposing batters own just a 1.9% barrel rate against Keller. Keller has just one season with a strikeout rate above 21.5% since 2019, which limits his fantasy upside. He's also currently benefitting from an 88.2% strand rate, which is well above his career average of 71.2%. Still, Keller has pitched at least 175 innings in each of the last three seasons and works in one of the more pitcher-friendly parks in baseball in Pittsburgh. In leagues where he remains available, Keller could be a player for fantasy managers to target off the waiver wire while he is running hot.

5 days ago

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Could Earn More Save Chances

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto was once again used in a set-up role during Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Soto was called upon to get the final out of the seventh inning, which he did without any problems. Dennis Santana was handed the ball in the final frame, but struggled in this one. The right-hander gave up one hit, one run, and two walks, which led to his first blown save of the year. This rough outing could open up a door for Soto to get more save opportunities in Pittsburgh. Both pitchers have solid overall numbers, but the Pirates might ride the hot hand. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Soto after Santana struggled to close the door on Saturday.

7 days ago

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Works in Setup Role

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto was tasked with pitching in the eighth inning of Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Normally, Soto is used in save situations, but was handed the ball with a two-run lead in the eighth inning here. Soto got into some trouble with two walks, but was able to escape the inning without any damage. Dennis Santana came on in the final frame and shut the door while recording two strikeouts. The expectation is that the two of them will continue to split up the closer role in Pittsburgh. Between the two pitchers, Santana is the better player to roster right now. Soto should continue getting work in the ninth inning, but could be on a short leash with how well Santana has been pitching to begin the season.

Apr 10

Dennis Santana • RP • Pirates

Dennis Santana Earns First Save on Friday

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana was called upon to finish off Friday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Santana needed only 13 pitches to get through Friday's outing. He struck out Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch on route to his first save of the season. After this outing, Santana holds a perfect 0.00 ERA, with a 0.43 WHIP, and six strikeouts across seven innings of work. Gregory Soto worked the eighth inning of Friday's victory. The two of them figure to continue sharing the closer role for now. Soto appears to be the favorite for saves, but fantasy managers who have Santana rostered should continue to hold him.

Apr 10

Marcell Ozuna • DH • Pirates

Marcell Ozuna Out of Pittsburgh's Lineup Again

Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Marcell Ozuna will start Wednesday's series finale against the San Diego Padres on the bench again, according to MLB.com. Outfielder Ryan O'Hearn is serving as the designated hitter and will bat cleanup for the Bucs against Padres right-hander Michael King. The 35-year-old Ozuna is really struggling at the plate in his first year in the Steel City, going 2-for-31 (.065) with four walks and eight strikeouts in eight games played. It's the third time in four games that Ozuna has started on the bench for the Pirates. Ozuna isn't striking out all that much, but he's making alarmingly weak contact so far in his 14th MLB season. It's still early, but fantasy managers might already be panicking about Ozuna in his new digs.

Apr 8

Konnor Griffin • SS • Pirates

Pirates Sign Konnor Griffin to Nine-Year Extension

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they signed infield prospect Konnor Griffin to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension that runs through the 2034 season. Griffin came into 2026 as the consensus top prospect in baseball, but he didn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. It didn't take the 19-year-old long to get the call-up to the big leagues, though, and he'll be the team's starting shortstop going forward. The former ninth overall pick in 2024 has gotten off to a slow start at the plate in his first five MLB games, but he did have two hits in the team's 7-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Griffin has gone 3-for-17 (.176) with a double, three RBI, two runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. He'll get the day off in the series finale on Wednesday against the Friars after inking a nine-year extension. Griffin's contract is the largest in Pirates history. While Griffin may get off to a slow start, he has all the tools to be a perennial All-Star before long.

Apr 8

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Sharp in High-Leverage Spot on Tuesday

Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Gregory Soto delivered a strong outing against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, pitching a scoreless inning with a strikeout without allowing a baserunner. Across 7 1/3 innings (seven games) so far in 2026, the 31-year-old has allowed just two hits, three walks, and one earned run while recording 13 strikeouts and a save. Soto has yet to establish himself as the full-time closer in Pittsburgh, and with the Pirates holding a one-run lead on Tuesday, he entered the game in the eighth inning. However, Soto's main competition for the ninth-inning role in Pittsburgh might be veteran right-hander Dennis Santana, who owns just 20 saves and a middling 22.1% strikeout rate for his career. By comparison, Soto has 57 career saves and struck out 25.1% of the batters he faced in 2025. For fantasy managers in need of saves, Soto could be a player worth targeting on the waiver wire.

Apr 7

Bubba Chandler • SP • Pirates

Bubba Chandler Struggles with Command Again, Becoming Risky Fantasy Asset?

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler took the loss in his team's 5-0 loss to the Padres on Monday night. While Chandler did pick up four strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings, he issued four walks and was charged with three earned runs. In just 8 2/3 innings in his first two starts, he has issued 10 free passes, which is a major concern after he only walked four batters in 31 1/3 innings in the majors last year. He walked 11 in 11 spring training innings as well, so it's not just a small sample-size issue anymore. Chandler still has a very high ceiling and can dominate with a high strikeout ceiling, but his control issues are a major concern for his fantasy managers and the Pirates. He'll make his second start of the week on Sunday in Chicago against the Cubs, and he'll remain a high-risk, boom-or-bust fantasy asset until he gets his control back.

Apr 7

Ryan O'Hearn • 1B • Pirates

Ryan O'Hearn on a Tear to Start the 2026 Season, Must-Add in All Formats

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Ryan O'Hearn is off to a blazing start, helping the young Pirates team to a 6-3 start to the 2026 season. O'Hearn is batting in the middle of their lineup, and slashing .367/.459/.700 with three home runs, five runs scored, and 11 RBI to go along with six walks. O'Hearn has a clear path to everyday playing time and is a must-add in all formats. Throughout most of his time in Baltimore with the Orioles, he was splitting time at first base, and with the Pirates this year, his path to everyday playing time is more secure than it ever has been, which should only benefit fantasy managers who picked him up in their drafts, especially in the counting stats department. Under the hood, most of his metrics support the early-season breakout, with his xWOBA, xBA, and xSLG all in the 87th percentile or better. O'Hearn has always had average-to-above-average plate discipline, which should only help him in points leagues or formats that prioritize OBP. Regardless of the league scoring format, O'Hearn should be rostered and started across the board.

Apr 6

Gregory Soto • RP • Pirates

Gregory Soto Emerging As Must-Add Bullpen Option; Waiver-Wire Value Rising

Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Gregory Soto is emerging as a key waiver wire opportunity, showing strong upside early in the 2026 season. The left-hander has allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, while relying heavily on swing-and-miss stuff with 11 strikeouts. His 52.4 K% ranks in the 99th percentile, highlighting his dominance in a small sample. Soto has already recorded his first save of the season and owns a 0.75 WHIP with a .111 opponents average. If the 31-year-old maintains control and limits walks, he can continue to thrive in the back end of the Pirates bullpen and push for more save opportunities.

Apr 5

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