Notes: Bucs Take Two From Phils; All-Star Week - Skenes Zips A Zero, B-Rey 1-For-2 in 5-3 ASG Loss; Leyland HoF; '25 Sked Released; Moves & Snips

 Take a break, let the stars shine and back to business…

ASG:

Paul Skenes took his lil’ hop over the foul line, toed the rubber and worked a clean first frame (his scheduled allotment), ceding only a walk on a pitch that looked suspiciously close to strike three. The game, played at Globe Life Field, went to the AL, 5-3, as usual. Boston CF Jarren Duran smacked a two-out, two-run homer in the fifth off Hunter Greene to overcome LA’s Shohei Ohtani’s earlier three-run blast. Bryan Reynolds started in left field and went 1-for-2 while Bethel Park HS/Waynesburg U/Oakland’s Mason Miller earned the win. 

• Duran was named the game’s MVP.
• Miller set an All-Star Game speed record with the 103.6 mph heater he zoomed while facing Trea Turner in the fifth frame; it was 1-of-4 100+ mph tosses for him.
• Ohtani became the only player in MLB history to earn a win and hit a home run in his All-Star Game career.
• The Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez won the HR Derby, edging KC’s Bobby Witt, Jr., 14-13. He made it through all three rounds by one homer.
• The American League now leads the all-time ASG series 48-44-2 with wins in 10 of the past 11 Midsummer Classics.
• The NL topped the AL in the Futures Game, 6-1. The Bucs were repped by Altoona RHP Bubba Chandler (one scoreless inning) and Greensboro 2B Temarr Johnson (1-for-2).
• Tony Leo, the Pirates Assistant Athletic Trainer, was an All-Star as part of the NL’s athletic training staff. He’s spent the last three years in Pittsburgh after a long run in Minnesota.

• LHP Ryan Borucki stopped in Pittsburgh for a check up on Thursday and then headed to Indy to continue his wrist rehab.
• RHP Hunter Stratton (triceps) began his rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on Monday and was transferred to Indy on Friday. He’s on a fairly fast track to return.

• RHP Jared Jones will be out until sometime in August, per GM Ben. He added that LHP Bailey Falter is nearing the next step, a rehab assignment. 
• LHP Hunter Barco had been advanced to AA Altoona from High-A Greensboro, where he slashed 4-1/3.34 in 14 starts; he averaged 11 K per 9 innings. Despite TJ surgery, the Pirates drafted him in the second round (#44) of the ’22 draft from Florida. He was the Pirates #12 prospect coming into the year per MLB.com.
• The Pirates released reclamation project RHP Domingo German, 31 (he’ll turn 32 on 8/4) per his opt-out clause after he slashed 4-4/5.36 at Indianapolis after 10 starts. They re-signed him to a more team-friendly minor league depth contract.

Stuff:

• Jim Leyland was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jim was the skipper of the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies and Tigers, posting a record of 1,769-1,728. He took three teams to the postseason, won a World Championship, was voted Manager of the Year three times and won a WBC Championship with 2017’s USA nine.

• The 2025 schedule is out. After a week in Florida against Miami and Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh opens at PNC on April 4th v. the Yankees, followed by the Cards.
• Altoona’s Bubba Chandler moved into MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 list of RHP prospects. They give him a MLB-ETA of 2025.
• Greensboro IF Jack Brannigan was the South Atlantic League Player of the Week. His numbers from July 8-14th: BA .348, 1.357 OPS, 4 HRs and 8 RBI’s.
• LHP Jose Hernandez, a Rule 5 pick who the Pirates carried through 2023 and DFA’ed earlier this year, had been reclaimed by his original team, the Dodgers. They just outrighted him off the 40-man roster and assigned him to their Arizona Complex team.
• RHP  Jordan Lyles was released from KC and is now a free agent. He only worked five innings for the Royals this season, spending much of the year on the restricted list due to personal issues. He was a Buc in 2019, slashing 5-7/5.36 before being moved at the deadline.