Triolo went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.
Triolo has gone 5-for-11 with four strikeouts over his last three games. Prior to this burst of offense, he went just 2-for-30 with an 8:13 BB:K over a 10-game stretch. The infielder is slashing a poor .212/.297/.265 with two home runs, four steals, 15 RBI, eight runs scored and two doubles over 172 plate appearances this season. While those numbers aren't great, Triolo appears set to maintain a starting role at third base as long as Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) is out.
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Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Notches rare steal
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Grandal went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.
The steal was Grandal's first -- and first attempt -- since 2022, and it was just his 13th career theft. The catcher is off to a middling start to his season after missing the first month-plus due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He's slashing .211/.231/.395 with two home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored and a double over 39 plate appearances while adding a 1:7 BB:K. Grandal is handling the starting job at catcher for the Pirates over Joey Bart.
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Pirates' Bryan Reynolds: Picks up fourth steal
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Reynolds went 1-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and one run scored in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.
Reynolds has swiped two bags over his last three games, and he's hit safely in five straight contests (6-for-21). The outfielder isn't one to run a lot -- he had a career-high 12 steals in 145 games last season, so he's roughly on track to match that number in 2024 after picking up his fourth theft of the campaign Sunday. Reynolds has added a .254/.341/.407 slash line with five home runs, 20 RBI, 18 runs scored, 12 doubles and a triple through 48 contests overall.
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Pirates' Jack Suwinski: Swats fourth homer
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Suwinski went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks and a stolen base in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.
Suwinski had gone just 1-for-13 over his last five games, striking out eight times in that span. The outfielder is up to four homers, five steals, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored and a .172/.263/.299 slash line over 152 plate appearances. Suwinski remains firmly in a strong-side platoon role, and that's unlikely to change if he can't find more of a rhythm at the plate.
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Pirates' David Bednar: Converts 10th save
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Bednar walked one in a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Cubs.
Bednar took the loss in Saturday's game versus the Cubs, but he bounced back with a scoreless inning for his 10th save of the season. The right-hander has given up three runs on seven hits and three walks over 8.1 innings in May, but he also has five saves in nine appearances this month. Overall, he's at a 7.85 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 21:6 K:BB through 18.1 innings, though he's settled down after a brutal April.
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Pirates' Mitch Keller: Earns fifth win
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Keller (5-3) allowed two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out three over six innings to earn the win Sunday over the Cubs.
It wasn't as dominant an outing as his six scoreless innings versus the Brewers on Monday, but it was still Keller's third straight quality start. He's allowed three runs over 21 innings across three starts in May. The strong pitching has him down to a 3.84 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and 54:19 K:BB through 61 innings over 10 starts this season. Keller is projected for a tough home start versus Atlanta in his next outing.
Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Dealing with forearm injury
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Chandler was placed on Double-A Altoona's 7-day injured list Sunday with a forearm injury, though Pirates assistant GM Steve Sanders labeled the move as precautionary, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
The 21-year-old is one of the organization's top prospects and has struggled early in 2024 with a 5.84 ERA and 30:18 K:BB across 24.2 innings. Chandler will be sidelined for at least the next week but is without an official timeline for his return.
Falter came away with a no-decision in Saturday's 1-0 loss to the Cubs, allowing three hits and two walks over 7.2 scoreless innings. He struck out two.
While he wasn't dominant, managing only six swinging strikes among his 83 pitches, Falter produced a steady stream of weak contact and didn't give up an extra-base hit or let a baserunner get into scoring position until the eighth inning. Falter has delivered back-to-back quality starts, giving him four on the season, and the southpaw will take a 3.53 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 29:13 K:BB through 51 innings into his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next weekend against Atlanta.
Fleming cleared waivers Saturday and was sent outright to Triple-A Indianapolis, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Fleming was DFA'd by the Pirates on Tuesday after giving up six runs (five earned) in his most recent MLB appearance, and he will officially remain within the organization as he looks to get back on track. The 28-year-old southpaw posted a 4.35 ERA and 1.77 WHIP in Triple-A last season, though he will likely have to do better than that before the Pirates start thinking about calling him back up to the majors.
Grandal isn't in the Pirates' lineup for Saturday's game against the Cubs.
Grandal will get a breather Saturday after going 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored during Friday's win. Joey Bart will replace the 35-year-old veteran behind the plate, batting seventh.
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Pirates' Jack Suwinski: Getting breather versus LHP
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Suwinski isn't in the Pirates' lineup Saturday versus the Cubs.
The lefty-hitting Suwinski will retreat to the bench as fellow lefty Shota Imanaga toes the slab for the Cubs on Saturday. As a result, Edward Olivares will pick up a start in right field and bat fourth.
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Pirates' Oneil Cruz: Sitting versus lefty
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Cruz isn't in the Pirates' lineup for Saturday's game versus the Cubs.
Left-hander Shota Imanaga will start on the mound Saturday for Chicago, meaning the lefty-hitting Cruz will step out of the lineup. Alika Williams will fill the opening at shortstop while batting ninth.
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Pirates' Rowdy Tellez: Out against southpaw
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Tellez isn't in the Pirates' lineup Saturday versus the Cubs.
Tellez will take a seat Saturday with lefty Shota Imanaga starting on the mound for Chicago. Connor Joe will start at first base and bat third.
Triolo went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional RBI in Friday's 9-3 win over the Cubs.
Triolo opened the scoring in the third inning with a two-run shot off Kyle Hendricks before driving in a third run with a base hit in the fourth. It's the first multi-hit game since May 3 for Triolo -- he'd gone just 2-for-30 in his prior 10 contests. The 26-year-old infielder is slashing .201/.291/.257 with two homers, 15 RBI, eight runs scored and three steals through 41 games this season. With Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) set to resume baseball activities early next week, Triolo could soon be headed back to a bench role.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Dominant in first MLB win
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Skenes (1-0) earned the win over the Cubs on Friday, issuing just one walk while striking out 11 over six hitless, scoreless innings.
Skenes was lights out in his second big-league start -- he struck out the first seven batters he faced while holding the Cubs without a baserunner until Michael Busch's one-out walk in the fifth inning. Skenes has been as advertised to start his career, averaging 99.3 MPH with his fastball Friday and generating a 44 percent whiff rate with the pitch. The 21-year-old right-hander has allowed three runs through his first 10 innings while striking out 18. Skenes will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which tentatively lines up as a home matchup with the Giants.
