Weekly Report: PNC Blues, O'Hearn Out, Endy Up, Seth Promoted, Hans, Pud & Oldies Honored

Home show…

Pirates Stuff:

• Hoo boy…Ryan O’Hearn was removed from Saturday’s game with right quad discomfort. After an MRI, he was placed on the 10-day IL (he’s expected to miss a month) and Jake Mangum, who was on the IL, returned. On the plus side, Jared Jones is slated to make one more rehab start and then be ready for action.

Ryan won’t be swingin’ it for a bit…(Pirates image)

• Tuesday moves: C Endy Rodriguez (he has 61 MLB games behind the dish) and RHP Brandan Bidois (he became the Pirates first Australian-born MLB player) were recalled from AAA. C Joey Bart was placed on the 10-day IL due to a left foot infection and RHP Cam Sanders was again yo-yo’ed back to Indy. It was later announced that Joey Bart is expected out for weeks, not days, so it looks like Hank and Endy will back the dish for awhile. Bidnois didn’t have to wait long to become the first ‘Burgh player from down under to get into the box score as he got into Wednesday’s game, giving up a run on two hits in an inning’s work. Endy caught on Thursday and had a pair of hits & RBIs in his 2026 debut.
• Nick Yorke was optioned to Indy on Sunday; his replacement will be announced Tuesday when the Card series opens.
• The Pirates sent Indy insurance IF Alika Williams to the Athletics in exchange for High-A RHP Kyle Robinson.

Paul Skenes doin’ Paul Skenes stuff…5/12/2026 (photo MLB)

• Paul Skenes struck out the first six Rox he faced on Tuesday. It’s the second time in his career he’s opened with six K. He struck out the side again in the sixth to become the only Pirates pitcher from 1901 on to post that feat. Paul joined Bob Veale (Sept. 16-22, 1963) & Steve Blass (Sept. 15-20, 1968) as the only Pirates pitchers since 1901 to pitch eight scoreless innings with two or fewer hits in back-to-back starts.
• OF Jhostynxon Garcia’s rehab (back) has ended and he’s now playing at Indy. Password missed about a month due to the injury. Guess he’s feelin’ healthy now – he went 5-for-5 with three homers in his Tuesday comeback.
• Seth Hernandez was promoted to Greensboro. His first outing went five scoreless, hitless innings with four walks and seven Ks.

Game Stuff:

• The Pirates swept the Rox in their three-game set at PNC last year and sent out Paul Skenes to keep the good times rollin’ Tuesday night. He sure did, going eight scoreless frames, giving up two hits and striking out 10 in a 3-1 dub.
• It was 3-0 good guys going into the sixth before Mitch Keller and the Bucs fell apart. When the final gun sounded, it was 10-4 Rox as they evened the series. The game had more than its share of little league moments as Pittsburgh surrendered three unearned runs and the baserunning was a thing to behold… 
• We’re guessin’ that Pirates love November weather as they took a 7-2 series-clincher from Colorado on a gray and windy day. Carmen Mlodzinski worked five frames to get the dub, Ryan O’Hearn had three hits, including a dinger, and pups Konnor Griffin and Endy Rodriguez added a pair of knocks, as did Jared Triolo.

Carmen Mlodzinski – image April 2026 Sportsnet Pgh

• The Pirates jumped ahead 6-0 and had an 8-3 lead after six frames v Philly on Friday’s Zambelli night as Brandon Lowe & Marcell Ozuna went deep. They were still up 8-5 going into the ninth, when Gregory Sota imploded, allowing the Phils to tie it up. Dennis Santana gave up three more in the 10th, and a Buc rally fell sure in a brutal 11-9 loss in front of stunned crowd of 29,998 faithful.
• Bubba wasn’t the answer Saturday and the Buc bats were mousy silent against Christopher Sanchez in a 6-0 whipping at PNC.
• A sunny Sunday afternoon drew a nice crowd of 37,820, the third sellout of the season. Unfortunately for his stans, Paul Skenes proved he was human against Philadelphia and they swept the set, 6-0.
• The Pirates are now off to St. Louis to lick their wounds, then they go to Toronto. Both are three-game sets.

MLB Stuff:

• SABR began releasing their All-Era Teams, starting with the 19th Century (1876-1900) & Deadball (1901-1919) Eras. James “Pud” Galvin repped the town on the 19th Century club with Hans Wagner the Deadball Era’s only first-team Pirate. 19th Century reserves were Deacon White & Ned Hanlon while the Deadball Era backups included Buccos Barney Dreyfuss, Fred Clarke, Rube Waddell, Happy Jack Chesbro & Connie Mack
• Tommy Pham inked a minor league deal with the Orioles. It includes a June opt-out if he’s not on the O’s MLB roster by then.
• Mets RHP Clay Holmes suffered a broken fibula on Friday when the Yankees’ Spencer Jones drilled a 111 MPH liner off Clay’s leg. He was placed on the 15-day IL and faces a long recovery with an August return at the earliest.
• RHP Peter Strzelecki, who the Bucs signed last year and stashed at Indy before releasing him in July, was called up by Milwaukee.