Week's Notes: All-Stars Skenes & Reynolds Entertain Sellout Crowd During Meh 2-4 Week, Jared Jones & Bailey Falter On IL

 Summertime, summertime…

First things first: RHP Paul Skenes and LF Bryan Reynolds were named to the NL All-Star team Sunday. Skenes (5-0/2.12), with just 10 MLB starts, is the first Pirates rookie pitcher picked for an ASG and the first Bucco rookie period chosen since Tony Womack in 1997. It’s Reynolds’ (.281/16/54) second All-Star selection (he also made the team in 2021).

The All-Stars/Pirates image

The Bucs had Monday off before entertaining St. Louis for a three-game set. Kells got clocked and the Pirates dropped the opener, 7-4. In the middle match, the Bucs lost a two-run lead in the eight, fell behind in the 10th, then rallied behind Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz to even the set, 5-4. The tiebreaking game also went 10 innings, with the Pirates dropping a 3-2 decision with two of the Redbird scores due to Bucco miscues.

Then the Mets came callin’ for a four-day visit. The opener was something to behold – it was a sellout, Paul Skenes fanned eight in seven frames and the Bucs banged seven homers (B-Rey and Rowdy Tellez each had a pair, including grannies) in a 14-2 runaway. The second game, well…Bailey Falter got hurt, the Bucs failed to cash in late, the umps had another ooops day, and it all added up to a 5-2 loss. In the third game, Luis Ortiz went six shoutout innings and Nick Gonzales singled home a pair of two-out runs in the eighth for the Pirates to take a 2-1 lead. Aroldis Chapman got within a strike of closing it out, but didn’t, and Pittsburgh lost, 3-2. The fourth match of the set takes place today.

Moves/Injuries:

• Rookie RHP Jared Jones left Wednesday’s game with lat tightness and was put on the 15-day IL. He’ll serve at least two no-throw weeks before being reevaluated. OF Josh Palacios was recalled from Indy. 
• LHP Bailey Falter was removed from Saturday’s game due to left arm discomfort. He was placed on the 15-day IL with L triceps tendonitis. RHP Brent Honeywell Jr. was called up and LHP Justin Bruihl was DFA’ed.
• LHP Daulton Jefferies went on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation over the weekend. RHP Ryder Ryan was recalled to take his spot.

Joey Bart – Pirates image

• C Joey Bart came off the 10-day IL and C Jason Delay was optioned to Indy. 
• LHP Marco Gonzales began his rehab assignment Monday at Indianapolis.
• Reliever David Bednar (L oblique) tossed live BP and Hunter Stratton (R triceps) did some soft throwing. Their ETA is sometime around All-Star break.
• The rehab routine for C Henry Davis was put on hold for a few days while he recovered from a concussion, then was optioned on Thursday to Indy.

• LF Bryan Renolds’ 25-game hitting streak ended last Sunday; it was the team’s longest for a switch-hitter and tied for sixth-longest in franchise history.
• The Pirates put together a winning record (14-12) during the month of June for the first time since going 17-9 in 2015.
• Don’t hold your breath awaiting a new bat. GM Ben said on his radio show that “We have more players that can improve by far than we can acquire.” It makes sense if he’s looking for a piece to fit into the core; it’s smarter to deal for a bat under contract control in the off season than a costly rental.
• The Pirates’ top two prospects, RHP Bubba Chandler and 2B Termarr Johnson, will rep the Bucs at this year’s Futures Game in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, July 13th. IF Mitch Jebb, 22, of Greensboro was selected as the Sally League PoW. Mitch went 9-for 17, scoring 11 times with three RBI. LHP Hunter Barco, 23, made it a clean sweep as he won the league’s Pitcher of the Week award after working five innings of no-hit, shutout ball with a walk and nine K.
• C Roberto Perez was released by the Red Sox after being on the IL the entire season. The Pirates signed him back in 2021 and he played 21 games before hammy surgery cost him the season.