Kevin Gorman stories, Page 62
Nick Gonzales, Jason Delay homer as Pirates beat Orioles for 1st win of spring training
BRADENTON, Fla. — The Pittsburgh Pirates got their first spring training win, thanks to a fast start and a pair of home runs. Tucupita Marcano and Canaan Smith-Njigba both drove in a pair of runs as the Pirates jumped out to a five-run lead, and Nick Gonzales and Jason Delay...
‘So blessed to be alive’: A week after collapsing at Pirate City, Ernie Withers throws 1st pitch
BRADENTON, Fla. — One week after going into cardiac arrest and requiring CPR at Pirate City, Ernie Withers threw the ceremonial first pitch to the doctor who saved his life. Wearing a black Pittsburgh Pirates jersey, Withers tossed the ball Tuesday at LECOM Park to Pirates medical director Dr. Patrick...
A.J. Burnett will throw out 1st pitch to Russell Martin at Pirates home opener
Batman returns to the mound at PNC Park. Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett will throw out the ceremonial first pitch to catcher Russell Martin for the home opener against the Chicago White Sox on April 7. The moment will reunite the battery as the Pirates celebrate the 10-year anniversary...
Pirates start Jack Suwinski in center, signaling shift for Bryan Reynolds
BRADENTON, Fla. — When they ran out of the home dugout Monday at LECOM Park, Bryan Reynolds veered to left field and Andrew McCutchen to right while Jack Suwinski sprinted to center. Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton unveiled a new-look defensive lineup in a Grapefruit League game against the Philadelphia...
Ke’Bryan Hayes homers, JT Brubaker fans 5 but Phillies use fast start to beat Pirates
BRADENTON, Fla. — JT Brubaker felt like the Philadelphia Phillies were hunting heaters, so he wasn’t surprised when Alec Bohm sent his 2-0 sinker to left-center for a two-run homer. “Just from previous history, I know that a two-seam into Bohm isn’t the right pitch, especially behind in the count,”...
‘I want it really bad’: Rodolfo Castro has sights set on winning Pirates’ starting job at 2B
BRADENTON, Fla. — When the Pittsburgh Pirates opened Grapefruit League play against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, Rodolfo Castro was in the starting lineup but not at his position of preference. That Castro was across the diamond at third base with Ji Hwan Bae at second wasn’t a matter...
Mitch Keller makes strong start but Blue Jays pound Pirates for 3 homers in spring opener
BRADENTON, Fla. — Mitch Keller focused on filling up the strike zone and fanned the first batter he faced in his first start of spring training, getting leadoff batter Cavan Biggio to go down swinging. “It’s always good to get one,” Keller said, “especially the first guy of spring.” The...
Pirates owner Bob Nutting addresses Bryan Reynolds talks, RSN collapse, payroll issues
BRADENTON, Fla. — Pittsburgh Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said he is pushing for the club to sign Bryan Reynolds to a long-term contract extension and isn’t ruling out the possibility of signing a player to a $100 million contract in the near future. Nutting touched on those and other topics...
With Bryan Reynolds contract talks at standstill, Pirates owner Bob Nutting pushing for deal
BRADENTON, Fla. — Bryan Reynolds had casual conversations with Pittsburgh Pirates chairman Bob Nutting and team president Travis Williams this past week at Pirate City but said that no substantive contract extension discussions have resumed. “There’s been no talks like that, so nothing really to report there,” Ryenolds said Saturday...
‘Catching is gold’: Pirates prospects Henry Davis, Endy Rodriguez absorb veteran advice
BRADENTON, Fla. — Austin Hedges arrived at spring training prepared for a crash course with the Pittsburgh Pirates, learning as fast as he could about the pitching staff while teaching two of their top-100 prospects as much as he could about catching in the major leagues. Hedges realized he needed...
Pirates pitcher JT Brubaker seeks sense of normalcy, ready to take next step as a starter
BRADENTON, Fla. — When the Pittsburgh Pirates returned to Pirate City for spring training, JT Brubaker found a sense of normalcy — something that’s been missing for the right-hander since 2018. After being shelved with forearm soreness in 2019, the 29-year-old has dealt with a variety of disruptions and distractions...
Pirates tab RHP Mitch Keller to start Grapefruit League opener against Blue Jays
BRADENTON, Fla. — Mitch Keller made it his goal to be the starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day in Cincinnati, and the right-hander will be on the mound for their spring training opener. Keller will start Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays when they open Grapefruit League...
Pirates No. 1 pick Termarr Johnson ‘not too worried’ about hamstring strain
BRADENTON, Fla. — Termarr Johnson is disappointed that his first major-league spring training was interrupted by an injury, but the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 2022 first-round pick hopes for a quick recovery. Johnson was shut down for 10-14 days with a right hamstring strain, an injury that occurred when he was fielding...
Veteran RHP Vince Velasquez finds potential fit in middle of Pirates rotationVideo
BRADENTON, Fla. — Vince Velasquez was still feeling the adrenaline rush of facing hitters, pumped even more after filling the strike zone with his fastball and commanding his secondary pitches. The 30-year-old right-hander followed Mitch Keller on Monday and Rich Hill on Tuesday in throwing live batting practice at Honus...
Pirates No. 1 pick Termarr Johnson shut down from spring training with right hamstring strain
Termarr Johnson, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first-round pick and one of their top prospects, has been shut down from spring training after straining his right hamstring. The 18-year-old second baseman was selected No. 4 overall in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Atlanta’s Mays High School and signed to a $7...
Pirates RHP Roansy Contreras wants to add changeup to repertoire, stop-and-go seasons
Roansy Contreras worked on his changeup and curveball over the offseason in an effort to round out his repertoire with pitches that can play off his four-seam fastball and slider. The 23-year-old right-hander showed that he belongs in the major leagues last year by going 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA...
‘They saved his life’: Daughter of man who collapsed at Pirate City thankful for team’s medical response
BRADENTON, Fla. — The daughter of a man who collapsed on the field at Pittsburgh Pirates spring training practice Tuesday morning credited the team’s medical and training staff for saving her father’s life. Ernie Withers, 68, of Bradenton, Fla., was shagging fly balls in the outfield when he went into...
Mitch Keller aims to be Pirates’ starter on Opening Day: ‘I always want to be the guy’
BRADENTON, Fla. — When Mitch Keller personally delivered season tickets to a Pittsburgh Pirates fan late last month, she expressed hope that he would be the starting pitcher for the home opener on April 7. Keller kindly corrected her by saying he really wanted to pitch March 30 in Cincinnati....
For teenager Termarr Johnson, veterans like Rich Hill, 42, are best teachers at Pirates camp
BRADENTON, Fla. — Rich Hill is the graybeard of the Pittsburgh Pirates, a 42-year-old left-hander pitching for the 12th team in his 18-year major-league career. Monday’s first full-squad workout at Pirate City marked Hill’s 19th big-league spring training, an achievement he has learned to appreciate. “What matters the most to...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: With Bob Nutting present, Pirates ready for full-squad workouts
BRADENTON, Fla. — There was something different about the day before the first full-squad workout of spring training for the Pittsburgh Pirates, starting with the black Jaguar parked prominently at Pirate City. It belonged not to one of their high-priced veterans but rather the man who spent $30 million in...
Ji-Man Choi: ‘No hard feelings’ for Pirates after being blocked for WBC, losing in arbitrationVideo
BRADENTON, Fla. — Ji-Man Choi was traded, underwent surgery on his right elbow, was blocked from playing for Korea in the World Baseball Classic and lost his arbitration hearing. Safe to say, the Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman/designated hitter was ready to put a turbulent offseason behind him when he reported...
Oneil Cruz working hard to stay at shortstop for Pirates, remain baseball’s biggest oddityVideo
BRADENTON, Fla. — Even as Oneil Cruz attempts to overcome an oxymoron — as a 6-foot-7 shortstop — he can’t escape the hyperbole of being compared to a mythical creature with magical powers. Cruz is known as baseball’s unicorn because of his unique blend of size, speed and power after...
With game of catch, Andrew McCutchen, Ke’Bryan Hayes begin bond as Pirates
BRADENTON, Fla. — It was a simple spring training game of catch but one that represented so much more for Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates. First and foremost, McCutchen finally felt back at home while wearing the black and gold colors at Pirate City for the first time in...
Pirates win arbitration hearing with 1B Ji-Man Choi, who will make $4.65M this season
The Pittsburgh Pirates won their arbitration hearing with first baseman Ji-Man Choi, who will be paid $4.65 million this season instead of the $5.4 million he requested. Acquired from Tampa Bay in a trade this past November, the 31-year-old has hit .239/.345/.429 with 61 home runs and 225 RBIs in...
Pirates GM: Door ‘will continue to be open’ for Bryan Reynolds on contract extension talks
DUNEDIN, Fla. — A day after Bryan Reynolds said he would be willing to waive his trade request if the Pittsburgh Pirates offer a contract extension that is a “fair deal for both sides,” general manager Ben Cherington responded by saying the door “will continue to be open.” At Grapefruit...
