Notes: Pirates Middlin' In Midwest; Kells, Skenes, Jones Winners; Roster Shufflin'; Week's Happenings

May Day…

Set ‘Em Up, Brew Crew: The Bucs won the opener at Milwaukee’s American Family Field, 8-6. Mitch Keller put up six zeroes while Bryan Reynolds banged out a career-high five hits, including a homer and double, with Yasmani Grandal and Jack Suwinski also going deep as the Pirates survived a Josh Fleming relief meltdown. Quinn Priester had one bad inning in the second game, and it was enough to carry the Brew Crew to a 4-3 win. Nick Gonzales and Connor Joe homered in the loss. The Pirates were apparently in a hurry to leave Milwaukee as they were pounded, 10-2 (Martin Perez gave up five! HRs), on getaway day.

Nick Gonzales & the young arms are shovin’…

And Off To Wrigleyville: But the Chicago welcome, was, well, welcome as the Bucs and Jared Jones took a 5-4 win to open the four-game set. Edward Olivares and Nick Gonzales both went deep. On Friday, Paul Skenes made his second start (both v the Cubs) and started of by fanning the first seven batters he faced. He went six no-hit innings with a walk and 11K and although the pen lost both the no-hitter and the shutout, Pittsburgh rock ‘n’ rolled to a 9-3 victory. Jared Triolo and Yasmani Grandal had three RBI apiece while Triolo and Cutch homered. Bailey Falter kept the twirling vibes alive Saturday, leaving with two on and two out in the eighth inning (his longest career start) of a 0-0 game; he gave up just three hits. No diff; the Cubs won in the ninth when Michael Anderson appeared to throw out a Cubbie at home but the ump called him safe, even after review. start. On Sunday, Jack Suwinski’s homer and Nick Gonzales two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single gave Mitch Keller just enough breathing room as the Pirates took the series with a 3-2 win. The Bucco hitters did everything but pile up runs; they were 1-for-17! w/RISP. 

The Pirates have tomorrow off, then entertain the Giants and Braves at PNC Park this week.

Moves/Injuries:

• RHP Carmen Mlodzinski was recalled after rehab (forearm) and a stint at Indy. He slashed 3-3-1/2.25 with 34 K in 32 outings/36 IP last season for the Pirates. Priester was optioned to Indy, and switching out a starter for another reliever seems to leave the announced six-man rotation (see below) in limbo; the off-days for the next few weeks favor a five-man staff.
• Recently optioned RHP Ryder Ryan (1-0/3.00, 12 IP) was recalled to the big team. He replaced LHP Josh Fleming (1-1-1/5.68, 19 IP), who was DFA’ed after getting shelled on Monday. Josh cleared waivers and reported to Indy.
• IL-rostered 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes has been on a rest regimen for his back; he’ll begin fielding and BP on Monday.

Ke’Bryan’s back is acting up again…

• Ex-Yankee bad boy Domingo German has finished his Florida Complex grooming and was assigned to Lo-A Bradenton. After a start there, he was sent to Indy.
• DFA’ed RHP Roansy Contreras was sold to the LA Angels.
• LHP Eric Lauer opted out of his minor league deal with the Pirates and has become a free agent. He was injury-bitten the past two years, and at Indy he was working at around an ERA of four until a bad last outing jumped his ERA from 3.95 to 5.52. He averaged about five innings per start with 11.4K/9 IP.
• Ruh-roh; # 66 MLB.com Prospect RHP Bubba Chandler (#3 Pirates Prospect) was placed on the IL by Altoona with forearm tightness after a Friday night start that went awry. It was called a precautionary move, but any forearm injury…

Notes:

• The Bucs were expected to go a six-man rotation after Paul Skene’s call-up, to be re-evaluated later. Martin Perez, Mitch Keller, Bailey Falter, Jared Jones, Skenes and Priester (who has since been optioned back to Indy, changing matters considerably) would handle the chores; Perez and Keller can work a compressed schedule if needed. Between scheduled off days, the All Star break, and with hopefully healthy arms, the Bucs can then decide whether or not it makes competitive and/or developmental sense to adjust during the dog days.
• Mitch Keller has gone 41 straight starts that have lasted for five or more innings, the MLB’s longest current streak. It’s the longest Pirates run since 2012-13, when AJ Burnett went 49 games in-a-row with five+ frames.

Mitch is piling up the innings…

• Quinn Priester went 24 innings before the Pirates scored a run with him on the hill.
• Long-time off & on Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh will be inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame on May 22 at PNC Park.
• The Pirates will announce their Hall of Fame Class for 2024 on SportsNet Pittsburgh on Tuesday, May 21, at 5:30 when they’re back home to host the San Francisco Giants.
• Milene Mazeroski passed away at the age of 85; she and Bill had been married for 64 years after she met him as a Pirates secretary for scout Rex Bowen.
• 20-year-old C Omar Alfonzo of Bradenton was picked as the Florida State League’s Player Of The Week. He hit .500 (9-for-18) with a homer and six RBI over the past week.
• The Guardians sold the contract of LHP Anthony Banda (2021-22, Pirates; 2-2/4.70) to the Dodgers. It’s a minor league, non-40-man roster deal.
• RHP Yohan Ramirez (2022-23, Pirates, 4-1-1/3.67) was DFA’ed by the Mets.