Several outlets have reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates have agreed to terms on a contract extension with catcher Chris Stewart. Robert Murray of Baseball Essential was the first to relay the news via a tweet. Source: #Pirates signing Chris Stewart to a two-year deal. Has a team option for a third year. — Robert Murray (@RobertMurrayBBE) January 14, 2016 The move is a surprising one. With Elias Diaz major-league ready and Reese McGuire making steady progress through the team's ... Read More
ESPN ranks Pirates pitching in Top 10
ESPN's Buster Olney has put out his annual rankings of the top rotations and bullpens in baseball. Last year Olney predicted the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the World Series. This year he is equally bullish when it comes to the Pirates starting pitching staff and bullpen. For the starters, Olney has ranked the unit seventh overall (subscription required) in MLB. The New York Mets unsurprisingly were ranked first, followed by the Indians, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants and Dodgers The ranking be ... Read More
Pirates could find value in Latos or Masterson
If the Pittsburgh Pirates 2016 season were to begin tomorrow, their starting rotation would look a bit different from years past. With the loss of two starters this offseason, the Bucs have begun to rebuild their rotation. However, it might not hurt for the organization to work out a deal for one of two available right-handed arms. With the Departures of A.J. Burnett and Charlie Morton, the projected Pirates rotation includes returning starters Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke. ... Read More
First step toward spring training arrives as Pirates begin mini camp
The Pittsburgh Pirates begin their first steps toward the 2016 season as they open their annual mini-camp today in Bradenton, Florida. Joining the club will be new relief pitching acquisition Daniel Bard. Bard signed a minor-league deal with the team and will attend spring training. Bard made his name as a reliever for the Boston Red Sox. He had some effective years, most notably 2010 in which he posted a 1.93 ERA in 73 appearances. After an attempt to convert him into a starter in 2012 ... Read More
Pirates sign RP Trey Haley
A day after signing Neftali Feliz, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed another bullpen arm in right-handed pitcher Trey Haley. The deal is for one-year according to a team release. Haley, a second-round pick in 2008, was a minor league free agent but was signed to a Major League contract, meaning he will likely compete for a spot with the Pirates, after spending 2014 in the Cleveland Indians minor league organization. In Double-A he threw 34 innings and put up a 2.38 ERA and a 10.1 K/9 ... Read More
Pirates DFA Tony Sanchez
In a move necessitated by the team’s acquisition of reliever Neftali Feliz, Tony Sanchez was designated for assignment today by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The move brings an end to a colorful time with the team besotted by off-the-field incidents and lackluster progression. If a rival MLB club does not claim Sanchez during the waiver period, he will remain in the Pirates’ system but will not be on their 40-man roster. Taken with the fourth overall pick of the 2009 MLB Entry Draft, Sanchez ... Read More
Pirates sign RP Neftali Feliz
The Pittsburgh Pirates added another power arm to their bullpen for the 2016 season on Wednesday, coming to terms with right-handed relief pitcher Neftali Feliz. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports was the first to report the signing. Feliz gets a one-year deal that will pay him $3.9 million. Source: Neftali Feliz, Pirates agree to one-year, $3.9 million deal. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 6, 2016 The 28-year old Feliz made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers in 2009 and has ... Read More
Pirates add 12 to spring training non-roster invitee list
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that they would be inviting 12 additional non-roster prospects to spring training in 2016. Headlining the list is prized catching prospect Reese McGuire. The 20-year old McGuire spent the entirety of the 2015 with the Class A- Advanced Bradenton Marauders, in which he hit .254 with a .595 OPS. By most accounts, his defensive abilities are far ahead of his swing. The invite to spring training comes on the heels of a hot sting in the Arizona Fall League. ... Read More
Top 10 stories of 2015: Pittsburgh teams struggled in spotlight
In case you missed it, Pittsburgh Sporting News is counting down the top 10 Pittsburgh sports stories from 2015. The bottom five of the top five have already been covered, and now the countdown will conclude with the top five biggest stories of 2015. No. 5 – James Conner diagnosed with cancer On Dec. 5, University of Pittsburgh running back announced he was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma. The 20-year-old junior was a 2014 All-American and a candidate for the Heisman Trophy in 2015, ... Read More
Is Glasnow ready to make a major league impact in 2016?
For anyone who follows the Pittsburgh Pirates, it is no secret that many questions have surrounded the team this offseason. One of their major question marks surround their starting rotation, which was a part of the second-best pitching staff in all of baseball in 2015. With the departures of both A.J. Burnett and Charlie Morton, the Pirates must construct a new rotation that will likely include Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke as returning starters. The Bucs did acquire starting ... Read More