Weekly Notes: Blah Week at PNC, Skenes NL-POTM, Oviedo Up & Down, Organizational/MLB News

The dog days begin, woof woof…

Pirates Stuff:

• Paul Skenes was selected as the National Leagues Pitcher of the Month. His line 2-1/0.67 with 36 strikeouts in 27 innings of work. Skenes was reported (unconfirmed) to be working on an extension with the club, laying groundwork for more in-depth off-season discussions; the figures thrown around should be interesting. Fun fact: After Thursday’s win, he’s now pitched 27-2/3 straight scoreless innings at PNC Park.

Paul Skenes – POTM; image 8/4/2025 SportsNet Pgh.

• Tommy Pham’s season-high 11 game hitting streak came to an end on Monday, a run that included his 500th career RBI. Tommy was named the team’s Heart & Hustle Award winner for the season a coupla days later, so he was one rental worth the price tag.
• Bradenton OF/1B Edward Florentino has been named Florida State League Player of the Month for July after slashing.301/8 HR/23 RBI with 16 swiped bases in 17 attempts. He was promoted from Rookie League ball on June 21st and the 18-year-old is already the Pirates #6 Prospect per MLB Pipeline.
• 28-year-old RHP Cam Sanders, who had been in the Cubs organization since 2018 until the Bucs picked him up this year, was called to the big club from Indy. Sanders topped out at AAA for the last three seasons and put together a breakout this year (2-1-2/1.93) after some staff tweaking. This is his first MLB posting and he got to work on his first day, notching his first MLB strikeout while spinning two scoreless frames. His dad, Scott, put together a seven-year MLB stint, mostly with the Padres, during the nineties. 
• The Bucs claimed DFA’ed RHP Jack Little from the Dodgers and sent him to Indy. Little, 27, made his debut in June and in two MLB outings has given up two runs on four hits in three IP. His two-year AAA line is 6-5-14/4.67 w/a K per inning.

Johan Oviedo – 2025 image SportsNet Pgh.

• RHP Johan Oviedo was added to the roster after finishing his rehab; he hadn’t pitched since 2023 between TJ surgery and a lat injury. He lasted an inning and 43 pitches on Monday with his control a mess, and was optioned back to Indy for more work after the game. LHP Génesis Cabrera was DFA’ed to clear a roster spot. Signed by the Buccos in late June, he posted a 4.91 ERA with seven strikeouts in 11 innings of work (nine outings). He cleared waivers and was assigned to Indy.
• RHP Chase Shugart, who went on the IL (knee inflammation) in early July, had his rehab assignment flipped from Class A Bradenton to Indy. He’s the 10th Bucco to pass through Indy for rehab this season.

Game Stuff:

• This time out, the Bucs started in the hole, down 4-1 at PNC after six frames. But a two-run shot by Jack Suwinski and ninth-inning small ball pulled out a 5-4 win over the G-Men. A walk and a bopped batter set the Bucs up; Joey Bart’s single knotted the score and put a runner on third. Isiah Kiner-Falefa then rolled a swinging bunt to first and Suwinski’s slide beat the rap for the win. Dauri Moreta got the win, his first since 2023. Johan Ovieda, making his first MLB start since ’23, lasted just an inning and was optioned back to Indy after the game.
• Tuesday’s game was a shower-off as the Pirates were swamped by San Fran, 8-1.
• The Bucs might be missing The Renegade a bit – Dennis Santana gave up two ninth-inning runs to give the Giants a series-clinching 4-2 win on getaway day.
• Paul Skenes opened the Reds series with six zeroes and eight K while Bryan Reynolds and Hank Davis went deep as the Bucs had their own laugher, 7-0.

B-Rey – 2025 image Pirates

• B-Rey still has his moments – with the Bucs down a run in the eighth and two away, he banged his first pitch up the RF line for a two-run triple. It won the game as Santana worked a 1-2-3 ninth to give the Pirates a 3-2 dub over the Reds. Mitch Keller spun another solid start and Oneil Cruz chased home the first run with a fourth-inning double.
• The pitching was willing, but the bats were once again weak (four hits) as the Bucs dropped the Saturday Nite game to Cincy, 2-1.
• Pittsburgh fell behind 4-0 and 9-4, and their comeback efforts fell short when the Reds put up a five-spot against Cam Sanders in the ninth to split the series with a 14-8 win. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three of the Bucs 16 hits; he was one of five Buccaneer batters to have a multi-hit afternoons as the Pirates again couldn’t sync offense and pitching.
• Next: Pittsburgh left for a six-game, seven-day road trip to Milwaukee (Monday-Wednesday) and the Cubs (August 15-17) after Sunday’s game.

 MLB Stuff:

• Jen Pawol, 48, became the first woman MLB umpire (to compare, the NBA introduced its first female refs in 1997 and the NFL in 2012) this weekend when she was assigned to the Miami Marlins-Atlanta Braves series. She worked the bases during Saturday’s twin bill at Truist Park and went behind the plate on Sunday (and blew her first ball-strike call, so she’s already up to speed. Actually, Jen was pretty solid on her calls after the butterflies left). 
• RHP Thomas Hatch, who can start or work from the pen and made a dozen outings for the Bucs in 2023, has been claimed by the Minnesota Twins.
• The Yankees DFA’ed reliever JT Brubaker, despite his 3.38 ERA in 12 games (16 IP). JT tossed for the Bucs from 2020-22 with a 9-28/4.99 line.