Kevin Gorman stories, Page 3
Baseball America names Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin its Minor League Player of Year
Baseball America announced Monday that it has named Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop prospect Konnor Griffin its 2025 Minor League Player of the Year, a first for an Altoona Curve player. The 19-year-old Griffin, who was selected ninth overall in 2024, batted .333/.415/.527 with 23 doubles, four triples, 21 home runs, 94...
Learning to lead: Pirates believe Paul Skenes has earned the equity to be outspoken star
Paul Skenes returned from a recent road trip and discovered his locker had been moved to a more prominent spot in the Pittsburgh Pirates clubhouse, just across from franchise icon Andrew McCutchen. It was designed to give Skenes more space but also served as a not-so-subtle message that the 23-year-old...
‘We’ll see what happens’: Andrew McCutchen noncommittal about future with Pirates
As the crowd applauded in appreciation, Andrew McCutchen tipped his batting helmet before what might have been his final at-bat for the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. A franchise icon who ranks among the club’s all-time leaders in most major offensive categories, McCutchen also is aware that he is a...
Jared Triolo, Joey Bart come up big with bats as Pirates pound A’s for shutout in home finale
The Pittsburgh Pirates had scored a combined total of 10 runs in their previous five games, causing manager Don Kelly to repeatedly call their inability to drive in runners the team’s Achilles’ heel. Perhaps they were saving it for the home finale. Spurred by Jared Triolo and Joey Bart, who...
Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft combine for 12 strikeouts as Pirates shut out Athletics
The Pittsburgh Pirates had lost 12 of their past 13 games entering their penultimate home game of the season, but Bubba Chandler had the perfect remedy to stop the skid: bring the heat. The 23-year-old rookie right-hander fired four-seam fastballs at the Athletics, topping triple digits eight times in striking...
‘A blessing to be back here’: Kavan Markwood throws out 1st pitch at PNC Park nearly 5 months after falling from Clemente WallVideo
As Kavan Markwood walked out to the pitcher’s mound, he couldn’t help but steal a glance toward right field at PNC Park and get flashbacks from his fall over the 21-foot Clemente Wall on April 30. “Every time I looked that way I see…,” Markwood told TribLive, his voice trailing...
Despite disappointing season, Ben Cherington operating with plans to return as Pirates GM
In a season that started with the proclamation by chairman Bob Nutting that the Pittsburgh Pirates “need to win more,” they instead clinched a seventh consecutive losing season and are careening toward 90 losses. Yet when Ben Cherington was asked Saturday afternoon in the news conference room at PNC Park...
Jacob Wilson’s web gem helps A’s preserve 1-run lead, hand Pirates 5th consecutive defeat
When former Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, it recreated a moment of nostalgia from almost 19 years ago to the day at PNC Park. On Sept. 16, 2006, 4-year-old Jacob threw out the first pitch to his father. On Friday...
Pirates ace Paul Skenes sweeps team’s MVP, top pitchers awards, as voted by BBWAA
Paul Skenes got an early start on what should be a busy awards circuit, as the Pittsburgh Pirates ace swept the top two team honors. Skenes was named Friday the recipient of the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award for Team MVP and the Steve Blass Award for best pitcher, as voted...
Pirates’ Rafael Flores gives glimpse of hard-hitting future on 1st major league hit
Rafael Flores had turned his first major-league at-bat into a battle, working seven pitches against Matthew Boyd in the second inning before the Chicago Cubs left-hander fooled him with a full-count changeup that sent Flores down swinging for a strikeout. “I wasn’t expecting a 3-2 changeup there,” Flores said. “I...
Cubs take advantage of Pirates errors for series sweep, clinch postseason berth
The Pittsburgh Pirates were hoping to avoid watching the Chicago Cubs celebrate a series sweep and clinch a postseason berth at PNC Park. They provided a three-run response to a disastrous four-run first inning, then tied the score in the second inning with a bases-loaded walk. But the Pirates couldn’t...
Paul Skenes has shortest start of season, Cubs pound 14 hits to beat Pirates
When Paul Skenes walked off the field to an ovation Tuesday night, it was more in appreciation for his season than his start. Skenes had the shortest outing of the season in his final start at PNC Park as the Pittsburgh Pirates ace was pulled after throwing 92 pitches in...
Pirates select contract of C/1B Rafael Flores, acquired from Yankees in David Bednar trade
Rafael Flores, the player acquired in the David Bednar trade, has joined the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates selected the contract of the 24-year-old catcher/first baseman from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, putting Flores in position to make his major-league debut. Ranked the Pirates’ No. 8 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No....
Jameson Taillon, Cubs blank Pirates to spoil Roberto Clemente Day celebration
If there was a member of the Chicago Cubs who understood the magnitude of Roberto Clemente Day at PNC Park, it was the man on the mound. Jameson Taillon was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2010 and spent the first four seasons of his major league career here, so...
Jack Suwinski ends rehab assignment, rejoins Pirates for start of series against Cubs
Jack Suwinski is back with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The slugging outfielder ended his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis and was activated before Monday’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park, Pirates manager Don Kelly said. Suwinski, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin...
Nationals rally from 3-run deficit to beat Pirates, who drop another 1-run decision
When the Pittsburgh Pirates poured on three runs in the first inning against the Washington Nationals, it was the continuation of a post-trade deadline trend. Since Aug. 1, the Pirates lead the major leagues with the most runs scored in the first inning (40). Problem is, they did nothing to...
Pirates snap 7-game losing streak thanks to 4-run 8th, Bubba Chandler’s strong start
Bubba Chandler dealt with disaster in his first major-league start against Milwaukee, but the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander bounced back by flirting with perfection against the Washington Nationals. A day before his 23rd birthday, Chandler retired the first 15 batters he faced before giving up a run in the sixth...
Pirates blow 3-run lead, fall short in 9th against Nationals for 7th consecutive loss
Mitch Keller was cruising through his start so efficiently that play-by-play man Greg Brown dubbed the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander “10-pitch Mitch” after he required only 51 pitches to navigate five innings. Then the Washington Nationals scratched an itch. After Keller allowed three hits in the sixth, including a leadoff home...
Pirates reinstate RHP Justin Lawrence from 60-day IL, option RHP Colin Holderman
Justin Lawrence’s long road to recovery is finally over. The Pittsburgh Pirates ended the rehabilitation assignment of the right-handed reliever, out since late April with a right elbow injury, and reinstated him from the 60-day injured list before Friday’s game at the Washington Nationals. Lawrence was 1-0 with an 0.79...
Strikeout of Shohei Ohtani was ‘like hitting the lottery’ to Pirates closer Dennis Santana
Dennis Santana made a memorable entrance against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the lights went out at PNC Park and he walked out from the bullpen to Dominican rapper Rochy RD’s song, “Original.” Santana’s exit was even more entertaining. The Pittsburgh Pirates closer got Shohei Ohtani swinging at a slider...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Bubba Chandler’s rough start had more to do with Brew Crew
Bubba Chandler’s disastrous starting debut Sunday was deflating, given that the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander was billed as baseball’s best pitching prospect. He gave up four runs before he recorded his first out and lasted only 22⁄3 innings in the 10-2 loss. Moving forward, Pirates manager Don Kelly said Chandler...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Bubba Chandler’s rough start had more to do with Brew Crew
That Bubba Chandler’s starting debut Sunday was disastrous was deflating, given that he was billed as baseball’s best pitching prospect. That the Pittsburgh Pirates rookie right-hander was disgusted with his performance, however, was a sign of his competitive fire. Chandler came out firing four-seam fastballs at the Milwaukee Brewers, only...
Brewers hammer Bubba Chandler in 1st MLB start to sweep series against Pirates
When Bubba Chandler made his major-league debut out of the bullpen, it raised a question: Why wasn’t the game’s top pitching prospect starting instead of coming on in relief? Chandler’s first MLB start answered that. Facing the team with the best record in baseball — and going opposite the Pittsburgh Steelers’...
Behind pair of 2-run homers, Brewers beat Pirates to clinch series win
Mitch Keller has worked hard to avoid the second-half swoon that plagued his past two seasons as the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander has focused on his mechanics to maximize his pitching power. Keller delivered his 17th quality start of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers, but for the second consecutive start,...
Quinn Priester delivers strong start, silences Pirates to lead Brewers to win in series opener
The Pittsburgh Pirates played a familiar face in Quinn Priester, although the Milwaukee Brewers 24-year-old right-hander hardly resembles the one who was once their top pitching prospect. Priester has reinvented himself and returned to PNC Park with an 11-2 record, 3.28 ERA and become a standout of the starting rotation...
