Weekend Notes: Gregory Waived; Odds & Ends

Weekend warriors...

Notes:

• Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports that the Pirates have placed struggling OF Gregory Polanco on waivers. El Coffee was the last remaining player from the Pirate playoff years, but injuries and performance have eroded his value. In the past three years, he's hit .197 with an OPS+ of 66. But Jason Mackey of the Post Gazette can see a path where Gregory sticks with the big club, at least through the season.
• David Bednar earned his first MLB save against the Cards on Saturday night. It was the first Pirates save registered since Ric Rod was traded to the Braves in July.
• The Pirates are 6-19 since the 2021 trade season began with Adam Frazier's swap. They're also 0-9 trying to close out a a sweep, and the only team in MLB without a sweep this year. Their latest effort was thwarted by the Cards' Adam Wainwright, who happens to be 20-7 lifetime and has won his last seven decisions against the Buccos. He's 3-0 this year, giving up one run on 10 hits in 23 IP with 24 K.

Wilmer Difo is strong off the bench - photo Pgh Pirates

• Five different Bucs have banged a pinch-hit homer this season (Wilmer Difo -2, Yoshi Tsutsugo, Rodolfo Castro, Phil Evans and Michael Perez). The club didn't swat any pinch hit dingers in 2020.
• Pittsburgh's shutout victory over the Cards on Friday was the team's first road whitewash of the year. It was the fifth zippo of the year spun by the Bucco staff.
• A guy to watch: Ben Cherington said on his radio show "We don't have any player in our minor leagues who has done it better than Matt Fraizer." The 23-year-old Altoona OF, a 2019 third round pick who didn't get an invite to the alt camp last season, has hit .321 between AA and Hi A with 21 HR, 59 RBI, 74 runs scored and 15 stolen bases going into Sunday. Baseball America doesn't have him ranked, but did name him as a potential MiLB breakout candidate.
• BC added that OF Anthony Alford should be ready to come off of the IL when Pittsburgh returns home on Monday.
• The Pirates begin a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday, followed by a four-game series with St. Louis beginning Thursday night.
• Tip o' the hat: On Sunday, Motown's Miggy Cabrera became the 28th MLB player (and the first born in Venezuela) to hit 500 home runs.