Justin Guerriero stories, Page 38
‘Ain’t no thing’: Pirates players not fazed by cold home opener temperature
David Bednar knows better than to expect picturesque weather conditions during a Pittsburgh Pirates home opener. The Mars native and two-time All-Star long has been acclimated to early-season games in Pittsburgh, first as a fan and now as the club’s closer. So as Friday’s weather became apparent, with cloudy skies...
Minor league teammates of Pirates’ Jared Jones rooting hard for his success
Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Jared Jones took Major League Baseball by storm last week in his big league debut, earning the win and striking out 10 Miami Marlins, a total few have matched in their first start, on March 30. Jones had plenty of friends and family in attendance at...
Pirates acquire onetime top prospect Joey Bart from Giants, DFA pitcher Colin Selby
The Pittsburgh Pirates made another trade Tuesday evening, acquiring catcher Joey Bart from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for minor league pitcher Austin Strickland. In a corresponding transaction, right-hander Colin Selby was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Once a top prospect considered the heir...
Pirates acquire minor-league infielder Kervin Pichardo from Padres for LHP Jackson Wolf
The Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday traded left-handed pitcher Jackson Wolf, who was designated for assignment March 28, to the San Diego Padres for minor-league infielder Kervin Pichardo. Pichardo, 22, split time last year between the Padres’ High-A and Double-A farm teams, batting .257 (67 for 261) with 10 homers, eight...
Altoona Curve begin season with 3 of Pirates’ top-10 prospects in starting rotationVideo
ALTOONA — Plenty of eyes are on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians, whose roster includes top prospect Paul Skenes, fellow right-hander Quinn Priester and several others who likely will hear their number called soon. But the situation at Double-A Altoona should not be overlooked, with first-year manager...
Connor Joe leading the way (literally) for Pirates’ red-hot offensive start to seasonVideo
Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton could have gone several ways to begin the season when it came to picking his leadoff hitter. He could have done a repeat of 2023, putting Oneil Cruz there. Ke’Bryan Hayes, whose 45 games in the leadoff slot led the club last year, was another...
Offense keeps rolling as Pirates beat Nationals, move to 5-0 for 1st time since 1983
Five games, five wins. After Monday’s 8-4 victory over Washington at Nationals Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates have begun the season 5-0 for the first time in 41 years and only the sixth time in franchise history. Potent offense throughout the lineup powered the Pirates over the Nationals in the first...
Following 4-0 start, Pirates see needle move on win total expectations, division crown chances
Following the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Easter Sunday victory the Miami Marlins in extra innings, manager Derek Shelton offered a fitting assessment of how his club just pulled off a four-game sweep to open the season. “The thing that stands out to me is that we have 26 guys on our roster...
Pirates top Marlins in 10 innings to earn 4-game sweep in season-opening series
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ season-opening four-game series in Miami against the Marlins already was full of firsts entering Easter Sunday’s finale. Jared Jones dazzled in his MLB debut Saturday, picking up his first win in his first MLB start. Before that, reliever Ryder Ryan earned his first big-league win Friday. And,...
Pirates activate righty Roansy Contreras, option lefty Jose Hernandez to Triple-A
Ahead of their series finale Sunday at the Miami Marlins, the Pittsburgh Pirates made a handful of roster moves, activating right-handed pitcher Roansy Contreras from the MLB paternity leave list and optioning lefty Jose Hernandez to Triple-A Indianapolis. Contreras, 24, went 0-2 with a 5.65 ERA over seven Spring Training...
Pestering play of Penguins’ Michael Bunting easing transition from CarolinaVideo
It has not taken long for new Pittsburgh Penguins winger Michael Bunting to endear himself to his teammates. Several factors have aided in a successful transition from the Carolina Hurricanes. For starters, he’s producing at an acceptable rate. Bunting has three goals with four assists in 12 games since being...
Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin draws inspiration from parents’ 1st visit to PPG Paints Arena in yearsVideo
Many could relate to the warm feeling that comes from performing well during a sporting event in front of one’s parents. That’s something athletes of all ages cherish. Evgeni Malkin did just that Thursday evening at PPG Paints Arena as the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Columbus Blue Jackets, putting on...
Former Penguin Alex Nylander, thriving with Columbus, reflects on time in Pittsburgh
Jake Guentzel’s return to Pittsburgh on Tuesday did not mark the end of former players coming back to PPG Paints Arena this week. Forward Alex Nylander, traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets back on Feb. 22, already faced his former team in Pittsburgh for the first time on March 5,...
Jake Guentzel addresses departure from Penguins: ‘My intention was to stay’Video
There was one obvious reason that 17,913 fans piled into PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night as the Carolina Hurricanes visited the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins. That was to see former winger Jake Guentzel make his inaugural visit to Pittsburgh in an opponent’s sweater after the Penguins traded him to Carolina....
Past, present, future collide for Penguins in Jake Guentzel’s return to PittsburghVideo
Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes featured an interesting intersection of the past, present and future for the Pittsburgh Penguins as beloved winger Jake Guentzel made his return to PPG Paints Arena for the first time since being traded to the Hurricanes. Guentzel, a Stanley Cup champion in 2017, represents...
Penguins recall forward Jonathan Gruden from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Jonathan Gruden from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League Tuesday night, shortly before facing the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. Gruden, 23, has frequently shuttled between the NHL and AHL this season. In total, he has been recalled to the NHL roster seven times....
Penguins’ Noel Acciari out week-to-week with injury; Alex Nedeljkovic to start vs. Carolina
Noel Acciari’s season is likely over. After leaving Sunday’s contest against the Colorado Avalanche with a lower-body injury, the 32-year-old winger in his first year with the Pittsburgh Penguins was placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) Tuesday morning in advance of his club’s home game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes. Per...
Creighton prevails in double overtime thriller to beat Oregon, advance to Sweet 16
The finale played at PPG Paints Arena Saturday as part of the NCAA Tournament’s slate of first-weekend games in Pittsburgh proved to be a March Madness classic, with Creighton and Oregon duking it out in double overtime before the Bluejays came out on top, 86-73. In the first game of...
Penguins goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist making seamless transition in 1st North American hockey campaign
Logic dictates that for a 22-year-old — let alone one who is a professional athlete — who moves across the globe to a new country, the changes would be staggering. That’s the reality Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender prospect Joel Blomqvist has been living with since joining Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey...
Mutual respect exists between Oregon’s Dana Altman, Creighton’s Greg McDermott
When the third-seeded Creighton Bluejays take the court Saturday for their NCAA Tournament second-round game with 11th-seeded Oregon at PPG Paints Arena, the past and present of their basketball program will intersect. Coaching the Ducks is Dana Altman, who previously coached at Creighton from 1994-2010. After Altman’s departure for Oregon,...
Oregon’s Jermaine Couisnard praises Oakland’s Jack Gohlke for dominant game vs. KentuckyVideo
During Thursday’s slate of NCAA Tournament first-round games being played at PPG Paints Arena, Oregon Ducks senior Jermaine Couisnard’s performance vs. South Carolina looked as if it would be the top story from all the action. Couisnard, who played three seasons with the Gamecocks before transferring to Oregon two years...
Penguins prospect Sam Poulin, happy and healthy, trusting in developmental process
From the outside looking in, Pittsburgh Penguins forward prospect Sam Poulin has had to deal with some challenging hiccups this year with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. No call-ups to Pittsburgh have been forthcoming for Poulin, who turned 23 in late February. Additionally, injuries have kept him off the...
Jermaine Couisnard’s 40 points power No. 11 Oregon to upset of No. 6 South Carolina
Oregon senior guard Jermaine Couisnard knows all about putting up big-time numbers in high-pressure situations. A few weeks ago, he scored 39 points at No. 6 Arizona. But Couisnard’s performance Thursday at PPG Paints Arena in the first round of the NCAA Tournament vs. South Carolina propelled him to new...
March Madness field in Pittsburgh chock full of prospective NBA talent
If and when South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles hears his name called in the NBA Draft, the wacky start to his collegiate career will offer analysts plenty of talking points. The true freshman forward joined the Gamecocks last summer as a blue-chip recruit aiming to make a quick impact but...
Triumph, heartbreak, shock: Unforgettable storylines within Pittsburgh’s history as March Madness host
Pittsburgh doesn’t have the lengthiest history of association with the NCAA Tournament, but plenty of memorable individual and team performances can be found spread across the six prior times the Big Dance featured first-weekend matchups in the city. The NCAA Tournament first came to Pittsburgh in 1997 and again in...
