Almost Show Time: Games, Injuries, Cuts, News, Notes

Almost time for the games to count…

Weekday Games: Pittsburgh pounded Philly on Monday, 11-2. Oneil Cruz had three hits, two homers and six RBI; Rowdy Tellez also went long while KeBryan Hayes & Jared Triolo had three hits. The pitchers gave up nine knocks and five walks, but fanned 16 batters and stranded 13 runners. The Bucs were off on Tuesday. Apparently they took Wednesday off, too, losing 12-0 to the Yankees. Marco Gonzales had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Pittsburgh dropped Thursday’s game to the Blue Jays, 3-2. Solo shots by Bryan Reynolds and Jared Triolo couldn’t overcome the three-run opening frame surrendered by Bailey Falter.

Martin Perez – camp photo Pirates/MLB.com

Weekend Games: Friday’s game against the O’s was rained out. On Saturday, Jared Jones went five solid innings v the BoSox as he continued to make a strong case for a rotation spot. The pitching (Josh Fleming, Roansy Contreras) posted zippos behind him, allowing Edward Olivares eighth-inning, three-run bomb to carry the Bucs to a 4-1 decision. Martin Perez kept his impressive spring work intact on Sunday in a 1-0 loss to the Yankees; the Bucs posted just five hits v the Bronx Bombers. Pittsburgh is 12-16 in Grapefruit action with the final spring game this afternoon.

Season Opener: RHP Mitch Keller (13-9/4.21 in ’23) meets Miami Marlins lefty Jesús Luzardo (10-10/3.50 in ’23) on March 28th’s Opening Day. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 at loanDepot Park. The Bucs play four games there, then go to DC for their Home Opener, and after a three-game set there finally make it to the ‘Burgh on April 5th to kick it off at PNC Park against the Orioles.

Moves, Injuries Thru Sunday (MLB Roster Announced Today):

• The countdown continues: C Carter Bins, IF Sergio Alcantara, and OFs Matt Gorski & Joe Perez were reassigned to minor league camp. Righty reliever Kyle Nicolas was optioned to Indy. Later in the week, 2B Nick Gonzales, OF Josh Palacios, who missed a lot of time battling a leg injury, IF Liover Peguero (he’s been benched by the bug for several days) and LHP Jose Hernandez were shipped to Indy. With Gonzales/Peguero sent down and Ji Hwan Bae nursing an injury, the 2B battle looks like it was won by Jared Triolo, with Alika Williams the reserve infielder.
• RHP Chase Anderson was the first vet to qualify for a post-arb minor league contract opt-out, and he left camp on Friday, quickly signing with Boston. Pitchers Brent Honeywell Jr and Wily Peralta both have contractual opt-outs per Bucs On Deck they can exercise next week. Those three, plus three more NRI players (P Eric Lauer, UT Jake Lamb, OF Gilberto Celestino) have opt-outs available later, during the season.

Dauri Moreta is gone for the year – 2023 photo/Pirates

• RHP Dauri Moreta, as anticipated, had major elbow damage and underwent TJ surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. He’s expected to be out of action for the next 14-16 months. C Yasmani Grandal, suffering from plantar fasciitis, still isn’t running, and that’ll make the catching roster an interesting call. Bae has been doing “baseball activities” while recovering from a hip flexor, so we’ll see what this coming week holds. P’s Colin Holderman (virus) and Carmen Mlodzinski (forearm tightness) are throwing on flat ground and are expected to start the year on the 15-day IL. In better news, RHP David Bednar is back in action after rehabbing from lat tightness.
• C Endy Rodriguez, who was lost after UCL surgery in December, plans on staying with the team for the opening few weeks of the season; he’ll go to Florida once his throwing rehab program begins, and that date is still TBD. 

Notes:

• RHP Roansy Contreras, who worked an encouraging frame on Thursday, was sent to the bullpen. Injuries have thinned the pen and Roansy is out of options, so the move may buy a little more time for the Bucs to get Contreras back to 2022 form.
• Pirates righties Paul Skenes (first team) and Patrick Reilly (second team) were named to the Spring Breakout All-Star team by MLB Pipeline; together, they tossed two innings and whiffed five.

Paul Skenes – 2023 Bowmans Best

• RHP Tyler Beede, who was 2-5/5.23 in ’22 for the Bucs in his first full season back from TJ surgery, spent ’23 tossing in Japan and it paid off – he was told that he had won a spot on the Cleveland Guardians roster. Also earning a roster spot was Daniel Vogelbach with Toronto; DH Vogey appears to be keeping a seat warm until Joey Votto gets back to speed. OF Miguel Andujar, who was looking good in Oakland’s camp and seemed a shoo-in to go north, had knee surgery and will miss at least 4-6 weeks of the season.
• IF Cole Tucker, 27, who’s been written up in the celebrity section more than sports pages lately, was given his release by the Mariners. IF Josh Harrison, 36, opted out of his deal with the Reds when told he wasn’t going to make the MLB roster out of camp. Ditto for vet RHP Jesse Chavez, who was released by the White Sox. He started his 16-year MLB career with the Bucs in 2008-09. LHP Chasen Shreve, who was a Bucco in 2021 (3-3/3.21) was let go by the Rangers.