“Pressure is a privilege,” Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jameson Taillon said after Tuesday's game against the New York Mets. And, on the big stage of the majors for only the second time, he sure made quite the impression. The 24-year-old righty had a no-hitter going into the seventh inning against the reigning National League champions. The Pirates won, 4-0. “I said after my first start, ‘I don't think I could draw it up any better than to get a win,’ and I did,” Taillon told ... Read More
Pirates move Gerrit Cole to DL, Jameson Taillon recalled
The Pittsburgh Pirates officially put pitcher Gerrit Cole on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to June 11 with a right tricep strain. In his place, they called up pitcher Jameson Taillon. Taillon (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will start Tuesday night's game against the New York Mets and Jacob deGrom (3-2, 2.80 ERA). Cole was injured in the third inning of Friday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, and he was lifted from the game as a precaution. Over the weekend, Pirates general manager Neal ... Read More
Column: It’s time for Pirates’ excuses, cliches to stop
If there is a team which needs a break more than the Pittsburgh Pirates, I would love to hear who. That's because there is no one who needs a break more desperately then them, especially after playing uninspired baseball in an 8-3 loss Sunday to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a team which looked tired in every way and played like it, too. Sure there can be many excuses made for the loss but flat out the Pirates just need a day to get right again. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle only ... Read More
Pirates’ GM Neal Huntington: ‘I need to do some things better this summer’
Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Neal Huntington had a busy week in Bradenton, FL with the MLB Draft but flew back into town to meet with some reporters and answer some questions. On the temptation to trade given pitching inconsistencies: “If you want to get involved now, there is a dramatic over-price, so our challenges have been all-over-the-map, which has made it so difficult. Any one of our five starters have had a good stretch and a not-so-good stretch. Almost all of our relievers have ... Read More
Catcher Erik Kratz returns to Pirates after Cervelli placed on DL
It happened innocently enough. Erik Kratz was standing in the on-deck circle at 7:30 PST Friday night in Fresno, CA, prepared to take his first at-bat. What wasn't normal was what came next: The catcher got called back into the dugout. He wasn't injured — far from it. He had just been acquired from the Los Angeles Angels by the Pittsburgh Pirates for $20,000. The mad dash began. He boarded three flights — one from Fresno to Salt Lake City, another from Salt Lake City to Minneapolis and ... Read More
Pirates look to avoid extending skid
The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to avoid a sweep against a National League Central foe in the St. Louis Cardinals. A loss would be the 12th in 16 games. In Sunday evening's game, Jonathon Niese (6-2, 3.93 ERA) will face Mike Leake (4-4, 4.22 ERA). Niese is 4-3 with a 3.45 ERA in career starts against the Cardinals. Niese has not lost a decision since May 9, which is also the last time he allowed more than two earned runs in an appearance. In his last start, Niese bested his former ... Read More
Fifth inning does in Liriano, Pirates
Occasionally, an opposing pitcher has his way with a team, and there isn't much that can be done. This was the case Saturday night as Carlos Martinez and the St. Louis Cardinals bested the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-1. Martinez (7-5) went a career-high 8.1 innings in this game, and his 122 pitches were the most by a Cardinals pitcher this season. He also kept the ball on the ground, getting 12 ground-ball outs. While Martinez kept things rather clean, it took a little time for his mound ... Read More
Cervelli, Cole injuries create concern for Pirates
It was a game that the Pittsburgh Pirates appeared to be on the losing end of for almost the entire game. When the game was over, though, it was not the 9-3 12 inning loss that mattered. As the Pirates prepare to face the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday, they do so with the worry about both Gerrit Cole and Francisco Cervelli's health. Cole left in the third inning of Friday night's loss with right tricep tightness and Cervelli left with left hand pain. MLB on FOX's Ken Rosenthal reported ... Read More
Third base never a mistaken identity for Pirates’ Craig
Will Craig had been waiting with family and friends since MLB Draft pre-show coverage began at 6 p.m. Thursday night when something strange appeared on his television screen. He saw his name next to something that said he had been drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 22nd overall pick, but the first reaction wasn't one of excitement, but, rather, confusion. "A pitcher? What?" Craig asked. The Wake Forest project, known for his power as a third baseman, was listed as a ... Read More
Column: Locke’s start sends mixed messages
The Pittsburgh Pirates did not arrive in Colorado until 4:10 a.m. Thursday morning for their game against the Rockies, a makeup which broke up a homestand because of a postponed April 28 contest. It was a long flight to Colorado and quite possibly a longer return flight following an 11-5 loss, which left Sean Rodriguez shaking his head back to the clubhouse. Jeff Locke took the biggest hit of all, especially to his Earned Run Average as he allowed 11 runs in 4.2 innings of work. Locke ... Read More