Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates News & Updates


The Pittsburgh Pirates were 26-24, 4th in the NL Central. Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates bested the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 at Busch Stadium.

Pirates Daily Vibe Check
61°
▲28
Warm
last night's win

Good place to be. Last night's win by 4 gives the score a boost. The catch: 3-4 in their last 7. Not the week they wanted.

Pirates Game on May 22

Opponent:Toronto Blue Jays (23-27)
Location:Rogers Centre
First Pitch:07:07 PM EDT
Pitching Matchup:Bubba Chandler (1-5, 5.14 ERA) vs Kevin Gausman (3-3, 3.45 ERA)
TV Broadcast:SN1, SportsNet Pittsburgh
Forecast:☁️ Overcast, 59°F, Wind 3 mph

Pirates Score & Recap

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates bested the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 at Busch Stadium.

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Highlights

Pirates Record & Standings

NL Central

TeamL10WLPCTGBSTRK
Brewers
2918.617 W3
Cubs
2921.5801.5 L5
Cardinals
2821.5712.0 L2
Pirates
2624.5204.5 W2
Reds
2624.5204.5 W2

Pittsburgh Pirates are 3-4 in their last 7 games, with a -1 run differential.

Pirates Player Stats & Leaders

Batting Leaders

PlayerHRAVGOPSRBI
5
Brandon Lowe
13.256.90632
15
Oneil Cruz
10.257.77933
10
Bryan Reynolds
4.244.75031

Pitching Leaders

PitcherW-LERAWHIPIP
30
Paul Skenes
6-32.620.7155.0
35
Braxton Ashcraft
3-22.891.0362.1
49
Yohan Ramírez
2-13.541.3228.0

Hot Hitters

PlayerStreak
10
Bryan Reynolds
2 hits, 5 RBI, .143 AVG in last 3 games
6
Konnor Griffin
6 hits, .462 AVG in last 3 games

Hot Pitchers

PitcherStreak
30
Paul Skenes
8.0 IP, 10 K, 0 ER in dominant recent start
35
Braxton Ashcraft
7.0 IP, 9 K, 1 ER in dominant recent start
49
Yohan Ramírez
3.0 scoreless IP, 7 K in 3 recent games

Pirates News

The Pirates are turning the page on a rough stretch, promoting first base/outfield prospect Esmerlyn Valdez, who has been crushing it in Triple-A with a .253/.381/.506 line and 10 home runs this season. As they sit at .500 with a 24-24 record, today's matchup against the Cardinals offers a chance to reset after a tough 2-5 week. Braxton Ashcraft, with a solid 3.09 ERA, is set to take the mound and could provide a much-needed boost to a struggling rotation. With Valdez's arrival, the Pirates are injecting some youthful energy into the lineup, hoping this spark will shift their momentum against a formidable St. Louis squad. The time is now for the Bucs to turn around their negative run differential and show the competitive spirit that fans crave.

Sources
Report: Pirates promoting promising young first base/outfield prospect
Bucsdugout
Report: Pirates promoting promising young first base/outfield prospect
The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting one of the biggest power-hitting bats in the organization to the Major Leagues. First baseman/outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez is expected to join the Pirates in Toronto on Friday before the Pirates begin a three-game series against the Blue Jays. BBWAA member Francys Romero was first to report the promotion. Regarded as […]
Game #50: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Bucsdugout
Game #50: Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals
Pittsburgh Pirates vs. St. Louis Cardinals, May 21, 2026, 1:15 p.m. ET Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet-PIT Pitching Matchup: Braxton Ashcraft (2-2, 3.09 ERA) vs. Dustin May (3-4, 4.81 ERA) The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the road today against the St. Louis Cardinals looking to grab a win. Please remember […]
Pirates To Promote Esmerlyn Valdez
Mlbtraderumors
Pirates To Promote Esmerlyn Valdez
The Pirates are going to promote first base/outfield prospect Esmerlyn Valdez, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR. Fellow outfielder Billy Cook will be optioned as the corresponding active roster move, per DK Pittsburgh Sports. Valdez, who will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game, is already on the 40-man […]
2026-27 Club Options: NL Central
Mlbtraderumors
2026-27 Club Options: NL Central
In recent weeks, MLBTR has looked forward to next winter’s option classes. We’ll move now to the NL Central, where the Cubs have a number of low-cost options to weigh. Previous: AL East, AL Central, AL West, NL East Chicago Cubs Matthew Boyd, LHP: $15MM mutual option ($2MM buyout) Mutual options are essentially never exercised, […]
Ashcraft like a 'second ace' as he continues dominant month of May
MLB.com
Ashcraft like a 'second ace' as he continues dominant month of May
ST. LOUIS -- One of the best ways to ease the burden on a beleaguered bullpen is to get just a little bit more out of the starting rotation. Braxton Ashcraft is well on his way to holding up his end of that bargain, backing a steady Pittsburgh offense to
Bucs call up slugging OF prospect Valdez (source)
MLB.com
Bucs call up slugging OF prospect Valdez (source)
The Pirates are calling up outfield prospect Esmerlyn Valdez, a source told Pirates Insider Jason Mackey. The club has not confirmed the promotion. Valdez is the organization’s ninth-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old is hitting .253/.381/.506 with 10 home runs in 46 games this year for Triple-A Indianapolis.

Pirates Upcoming Schedule

The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Chicago Cubs for a 4-game series starting Monday.

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