Pirates' Paul Skenes: Throws live BP after rainout
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Skenes threw a 45-pitch live batting practice session Monday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Skenes had been slated for his Grapefruit League debut Monday against the Phillies, but the game was rained out. Rather than push their ace back a day, the Pirates elected to keep Skenes on schedule and get his work in with some live batting practice instead. Skenes will be among the first pitchers off the board in fantasy drafts this spring.
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Pirates' DJ Stewart: Good first impression
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Stewart went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and three RBI in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles.
Stewart is in camp as a non-roster invitee, but his chances of cracking the Opening Day roster will improve if Spencer Horwitz (wrist) remains sidelined. One spring training performance won't seal Stewart's fate, but he did make a good impression by driving in two with a double in the first inning before following that up with a solo home run two frames later.
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Pirates' Carmen Mlodzinski: Working toward starting role
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Mlodzinski said Saturday that he is building volume this spring to become a starter, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Mlodzinski reportedly had conversations with the Pirates at the end of last season about transitioning into a starting role -- something he views as a long-term goal. However, he added that he remains open to working in any role the Pirates need him to fill. The 26-year-old righty was given an opportunity to start Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles, during which he surrendered two earned runs on four hits over two innings.
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Pirates' Jared Jones: Working on two-seamer
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Jones has worked on a two-seam fastball this offseason and will test the pitch in spring training games, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Jones flashed his potential as a rookie last year with a 4.14 ERA in 22 starts, but his 1.3 HR/9 was a blemish in his skills profile. Like teammate Paul Skenes, Jones is working on a pitch with sinking action in an attempt to keep the ball in the yard more effectively. That could also hurt his potential strikeout upside, though he didn't commit to using that pitch in the regular season.
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Pirates' Andrew Heaney: Inks one-year deal with Pittsburgh
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Heaney agreed to a one-year, $5.25 million deal with the Pirates on Thursday that includes an additional $5 million of incentives, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.
Heaney enters 2025 having played the prior two seasons with Texas. For the Rangers, he recorded a 4.22 ERA across 66 games, 59 of which he started in. The southpaw should slot in as Pittsburgh's No. 4 starter, with Bubba Chandler, Bailey Falter and Mike Burrows competing for the final rotation spot while Johan Oviedo completes his recovery from December 2023 Tommy John surgery.
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Pirates' Adam Frazier: No restrictions in camp
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Frazier (thumb) took live batting practice against Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller during Wednesday's full-squad workout, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Frazier will begin his second stint in Pittsburgh in 2025 after he signed a one-year, $1.525 million contract with the Pirates in January. He's projected to serve as a utility man for the Pirates, with his playing time likely to be contingent on the health of Pittsburgh's everyday players. During his time with the Royals last season, Frazier produced a career-low .576 OPS and struck out at a career-high 20.1 percent clip over 294 plate appearances.
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Pirates' Sean Sullivan: Nursing elbow soreness
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Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Sullivan is battling right elbow soreness, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Sullivan is considered further along in his rehab program than Yerry Rodriguez, who also has a sore elbow, although it's uncertain how much time either pitcher might miss. The 24-year-old Sullivan spent the 2024 season at Double-A Altoona, holding a 3.84 ERA and 57:22 K:BB over 72.2 innings. If healthy, he's likely to begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Pirates' Yerry Rodriguez: Comes down with sore elbow
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Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Rodriguez is dealing with right elbow discomfort, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Fellow hurler Sean Sullivan is also battling an elbow issue and is considered further along than Rodriguez, although it's not clear exactly how long either pitcher will be sidelined. Rodriguez is in Pirates camp as a non-roster invitee, and the elbow injury could effectively end his chances of making the team.
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Pirates' Dauri Moreta: Unlikely to pitch in spring games
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Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Moreta (elbow) is unlikely to pitch in any Grapefruit League games, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Moreta is right where the Pirates expected him to be in his recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last March, with Tomczyk noting that the right-hander has been able to throw side sessions. He'll continue to slowly increase the intensity of his throwing sessions throughout the spring before potentially facing hitters in live batting practice, but any games that Moreta pitches in during camp will likely come on the back fields in a controlled setting. Moreta was placed on the 60-day injured list over the weekend, and while he could be ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment by late April, he won't be eligible to make his 2025 debut for the Pirates until at least late May.
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Stratton (knee) is slated to begin a running progression, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Stratton is already throwing off a mound as he returns from a ruptured patella tendon in his left knee he suffered last August, but he'll now test the knee out with some running and soon with pitchers' fielding practice. The reliever has not been ruled out for Opening Day, but he's in camp as a non-roster invitee and is facing an uphill battle to win a roster spot.
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Pirates' Johan Oviedo: Throwing live bullpens
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Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Oviedo (elbow) is in the "live bullpen" phase of his throwing program and has been cleared to make use of his full repertoire, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Oviedo underwent Tommy John surgery in December 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season, but he should be ready to resume pitching for the Pirates early in the 2025 campaign. Since he hasn't yet been cleared to face hitters at this stage of spring training, Oviedo seems unlikely to appear in any of the Pirates' initial Grapefruit League games, and a brief stint on the injured list to open the season could be in the forecast. During his last healthy season in 2023, Oviedo started 32 games and turned in a 4.31 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 158:83 K:BB in 177.2 innings.
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Horwitz had sutures removed from his surgically repaired right wrist earlier this week and remains on track to return to game action in 6-to-8 weeks, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
After getting the sutures removed, Horwitz has been cleared to resume swinging the bat with his left hand in addition to fielding groundballs. Before getting surgery, Horwitz looked on track to open the season as the Pirates' everyday first baseman, but his likely absence to begin the campaign could pave the way for Jared Triolo or Billy Cook to make starts at the position until Horwitz is ready to go.
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Pirates' Nick Yorke: Uncertain role
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Yorke has been working out at second base to begin spring training, but he could be an option to fill in at first base in the absence of Spencer Horwitz (wrist), Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Yorke has put up excellent numbers at most of his minor-league stops, but he has an uncertain defensive home. Nick Gonzales is the favorite to start at second base, while the addition of Tommy Pham likely shuts the door on Yorke's potential to play regularly in the outfield. However, Horwitz's injury opens up potential playing time at first base, though there are several other options at the position.
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Pirates' David Bednar: Favorite for saves
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Bednar is expected to begin the 2025 season as the Pirates' closer, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Bednar endured a tough 2024 season, highlighted by a 5.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP across 57.2 innings. As a result, he didn't close the campaign in the closer role, instead ceding most of the opportunities to Aroldis Chapman in the final month. Chapman has since signed in Boston, leaving Pittsburgh hopeful that Bednar will be able to regain his previous form as a reliable closer. Bednar and the team have noted that he was overthrowing his pitches last season -- potentially due to an oblique injury he suffered early in the campaign -- an issue they believe has been resolved during the offseason.
Pirates' Kyle Nicolas: Cleared for spring training
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Nicolas (side) faced off against Andrew McCutchen during a live batting practice session Tuesday, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Nicolas appears to have entered spring training with a clean bill of health after he finished last season on the injured list due to a left side injury. Before being shut down, Nicolas had turned in a 3.95 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 55:31 K:BB while collecting two wins and seven holds over 54.2 innings out of the Pittsburgh bullpen. He'll likely be ticketed for a middle-relief role to begin the 2025 campaign.
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Pirates' Bryan Reynolds: Focusing on right field
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Reynolds said Tuesday that he's focusing on being a right fielder rather than potentially seeing some time at first base, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Reynolds began working out at first base in September as the Pirates kicked around the idea of using him there at least on a part-time basis. However, even after the injury to Spencer Horwitz (wrist/thumb), it does not sound like Reynolds is being considered as an option to play first base. Fantasy leaguers should not be counting on the 30-year-old gaining dual eligibility.
Ashcraft (forearm) threw a live batting practice session Monday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Ashcraft closed last season on Triple-A Indianapolis' 7-day injured list due to a forearm injury, but fortunately for the 25-year-old right-hander -- who previously had Tommy John surgery in 2021 -- he appears to have had a normal offseason and is restriction-free during camp. He'll likely be sent back to Indianapolis to begin the 2025 campaign, but health permitting, Ashcraft should make his MLB debut at some point this summer to join an impressive young Pittsburgh pitching corps that already includes Paul Skenes and Jared Jones and could also feature one of baseball's top pitching prospects in Bubba Chandler.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Adding to arsenal
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Skenes has worked on a cutter and sinker this offseason, Noah Hiles of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Skenes noted that his cutter is a variation of his slider, while his sinker is a completely new addition. He didn't commit to throwing the latter in game action, though it sounds as if the tweaks were an attempt to help Skenes pitch more efficiently and work deeper into games. Across his 23 big-league starts in 2024, Skenes completed seven innings only four times, and he was purposefully limited by the Pirates across the final month of the season. General manager Ben Cherington stated that he expects all limitations to be taken off his star pitcher this season, so Skenes' efficiency will ultimately determine his workload.
