Joe went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run Saturday against the Cubs.
Joe lifted a three-run home run in the third inning, his fourth long ball of the campaign. He's hit well overall this season which has helped him move from a short-side platoon role to a near everyday player. Joe has started eight of Pittsburgh's last 10 games, filling in for Rowdy Tellez at first base against lefties and Michael Taylor in the outfield against righties.
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Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Stays hot
Rotowire
Cruz went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and two runs scored Saturday against the Cubs.
Cruz got off to a slow start to the season, though he's managed multiple hits in four of his last five starts. He's hit .500 in that span, also hitting two home runs while collecting six RBI and five runs scored. Importantly, Cruz has greatly cut down on his strikeout rate, as he's punched out multiple times in a game only three times in his last 17 starts and struck out at just a 23.8 percent clip in that span.
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Pirates' Andrew McCutchen: Snaps out of slump
Rotowire
McCutchen went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a walk and two runs scored Saturday against the Cubs.
McCutchen entered the game with just four hits across his last 43 at-bats while striking out at a 27.5 percent clip. He came through with a clutch home run to lead off the sixth frame of Saturday's contest, his fourth time leaving the yard for the season. McCutchen has a .288 wOBA and 84 wRC+ across 124 total plate appearances on the campaign, though he continues to serve as Pittsburgh's primary designated hitter.
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Pirates' Michael Taylor: First homer as Pirate
Rotowire
Taylor went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored Saturday against the Cubs.
Taylor had only three extra-base hits -- all doubles -- across his first 102 plate appearances, but he managed his first homer of the campaign in the fourth inning. He remains Pittsburgh's primary center fielder, though he has just a 65 wRC+ with three stolen bases.
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Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Clubs first homer of 2024
Rotowire
Grandal went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and a second run scored in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Cubs.
The veteran catcher took Keegan Thompson deep in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Pirates back on top for good after the Cubs had struck for seven runs in the top of the frame. It was Grandal's first homer and first RBI in five games since making his season debut May 4, and he's gone 4-for-17 over that stretch as he settles into the starting job for Pittsburgh.
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Pirates' David Bednar: Collects seventh save
Rotowire
Bednar gave up a run on two hits in the ninth inning Saturday to record his seventh save of the season in a 10-9 win over the Cubs.
The right-hander made things interesting, giving up back-to-back hits to begin the ninth and allowing the tying run to get to third base with two outs, but Bednar escaped the jam. He's converted his last six save chances but has been very volatile while doing it, getting tagged for runs in five of 11 appearances over that stretch while posting an 8.38 ERA and 12:3 K:BB through 9.2 innings. Bednar still has a grip on the Pirates' closer role, but it may not be a firm one.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Fans seven in MLB debut
Rotowire
Skenes came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Cubs, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks over four-plus innings. He struck out seven.
The 21-year-old right-hander displayed some nerves in his big-league debut, throwing only 54 of 84 pitches for strikes, but he flashed his upside right out of the gate by hitting triple digits on the radar gun on his first two career pitches and reaching 100 mph on five fastballs in total against the first batter he faced, eventually striking out Chicago leadoff man Mike Tauchman on a 100.9 mph four-seamer. Skenes isn't heading back to the minors any time soon, and his next start should come on the road next week in a rematch with the Cubs.
Skenes' contract was purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis ahead of his big-league debut Saturday against the Cubs.
Skenes is the best pitching prospect to come along in over a decade, and his big-league debut is as highly anticipated as any pitching prospect's debut in recent memory. The big 6-foot-6 righty not only had the best statistical performance of any starter in the minors this year, but he has the best pure stuff as well. Skenes logged a 0.99 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, a 42.9 percent strikeout rate and a 7.6 percent walk rate in 27.1 innings at Triple-A. He has averaged just under five innings per start over his last three starts, but after throwing 129.1 innings in 2023, he should be able to push toward 160 total innings this year with good health.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Williams was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to Saturday's game against the Cubs, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Ke'Bryan Hayes was placed on the injured list with a back issue, so Williams could see some reps in the infield in the short term. Williams was optioned Friday and never actually got into a Triple-A game. He has a .239/.271/.348 slash line with zero home runs and one steal in 51 plate appearances in the majors.
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Pirates' Roansy Contreras: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Contreras was designated for assignment Saturday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Contreras was out of minor-league options and had a 5.05 FIP and 1.65 WHIP in 12 appearances out of the big-league bullpen, so he was deemed expendable. At the peak of his fantasy value in 2021, Contreras sat 95-97 mph with his fastball as a starting pitcher, but he has averaged under 95 mph in back-to-back seasons, even while working in shorter stints out of the bullpen.
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Pirates' Ke'Bryan Hayes: To IL with back issue
Rotowire
Hayes was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a back issue, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Hayes hasn't played since Tuesday amid a 3-for-30 slump, and perhaps the back issue is part of the reason he's only hit one home run in 35 games. Alika Williams is getting the call from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
Gonzales went 1-for-4 with two RBI in Friday's loss to the Cubs.
Gonzales was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday and immediately entered the starting lineup, hitting fifth while starting at second base. He delivered a two-RBI single in the first inning but also struck out twice. Gonzales should have a chance to seize regular playing time as the Pirates continue to try to get their offense on track.
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Pirates' Jared Jones: Takes fourth loss
Rotowire
Jones (2-4) took the loss Friday against the Cubs, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out four.
Jones allowed a solo homer to Cody Bellinger in the first inning before the Cubs tacked on runs in the fifth and sixth. The 22-year-old Jones has yet to allow more than three runs in a start this season -- his ERA sits at 2.68 with a 0.87 WHIP and 56:7 K:BB across 47 innings in his rookie campaign. Jones is currently lined up for a rematch with Chicago on the road in his next start.
Hayes is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs.
Hayes is mired in a 2-for-26 slump and will sit Friday for the second consecutive contest. Jared Triolo will shift to third base while Nick Gonzales, freshly promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis, starts at the keystone.
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Pirates' Jason Delay: Moves to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Pirates transferred Delay (knee) to the 60-day injured list Friday.
Delay will give up his spot on the 40-man roster in order to make room for Daulton Jefferies, who was acquired in a trade with the Giants on Friday. Delay was already expected to be out until July after undergoing knee surgery in April, so his move to the 60-day IL has virtually no impact on his return timeline. He has resumed catching during bullpen sessions, but he still has a long way to go before returning to the Pirates' lineup.
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Pirates' Alika Williams: Sent down Friday
Rotowire
Williams was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.
After making the Opening Day roster, Williams has produced a .239 batting average with two triples, a double, two RBI, seven runs scored and a stolen base over 46 at-bats in 15 games with the Pirates so far in 2024, but he'll now head to Indianapolis. In his place, Nick Gonzales was recalled from Triple-A and will likely see most of his work at second base moving forward.
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Pirates' Daulton Jefferies: Traded to Pittsburgh
Rotowire
The Pirates acquired Jefferies from the Giants on Friday in exchange for Rodolfo Nolasco, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.
Jefferies had been designated for assignment after allowing nine earned runs on 14 hits and two walks over 4.2 innings during his brief time with the Giants. It was his first stint in the big leagues since 2022, as he missed all of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Jefferies figures to join the rotation at Triple-A Indianapolis.
