Week's Notes: Winning Week; Bednar All Star; Moves & More Moves; Minor & MLB News

Less than a month to the trade deadline, so get used to the vets being showcased. We can only hope that come August, the Buc FO will make some effort at stabilizing the roster...

Notes:

• The Bucs opened the week at PNC against the Yankees of Jameson Taillon , Clay Holmes & Gerrit Cole. Billy Maz was honored (bobblehead/first pitch), and Jamo worked the first game, complete with a video tribute. The game drew 37,733 for the first sellout of the season and Pittsburgh came through with a 5-2 win. The Evil Empire took the second match, 16-0, with another good crowd of 32,414. They split a twin bill with the Reds at GABP, literally booting away the second game. Oddly, they closed out the week by taking 2-of-3 from the Brew Crew in their house of horrors, American Family Field to finish the week 4-3. Jose Quintana started the series finale for his 300th career MLB appearance.
• Reliever David Bednar was named the Bucs sole All Star as CF Bryan Reynolds was bypassed, with subs picked by player vote/MLB. To add injury to insult, he was pulled from the Bucs 8-6 victory over the Brew Crew with right side discomfort.

• So many moves...OF Ben Gamel and 1B Yoshi Tsutsugo came off the IL while IFs Park Hoy and Tucupita Marcano were optioned back to Indy before the NYY series. On Tuesday, C Tyler Heineman went on paternity leave and Jason Delay took his spot (he collected his first MLB hit & RBI on Thursday against the Reds). RHP Yerry De Los Santos and newly acquired LHP Manny Banuelos went on the active roster while LHP Cam Vieaux was optioned to Indy and RHP Austin Brice was DFA'ed on Wednesday. After the first game of Thursday's twin bill, the Bucs recalled LHP Eric Stout from Indy and optioned RHP Roansy Contreras (who went six innings for the win) to Indy. The move both helps keep down his workload and greases the skid for Roansy to get dealt out of Super 2 status. Bryse Wilson was called up as the 27th man for the twin bill, pitched the nightcap, and returned to AAA. IF Kevin Newman was removed from the IL and the Bucs optioned OF Bligh Madris to Indy. The coaches are working with Oneil Cruz in the outfield now that  Newman is back in action.
• Banuelos was the 54th player used by the Pirates this year and Stout, the 55th. The record of 64 was set  in 2021. The Pirates have made 43 roster transactions affecting the big league club since June 27th.
• The Pirates Hall of Fame will be unveiled on Saturday, September 3 at PNC Park, and its first class of members will officially be inducted. None have been officially selected yet, and Pittsbugh Crawfords and Homestead Grays players will also be eligible.
• Pittsburgh bought the contract of RHP Yohan Ramirez, 27, who had been DFA'ed, from the Cleveland Guardians and optioned him to Indy. To make room on the 40-man roster, LHP Aaron Fletcher was DFA'ed. Ramirez spent parts of three seasons with Seattle & Cleveland, posting a line of 2-3-5/3.99 in 49 outings.
• OF Greg Allen began his rehab assignment on Wednesday.

Greg Allen - 2022 photo/Bradenton Marauders

• Utilityman Yu Chang was claimed by Tampa Bay. He was DFA'ed by the Bucs last week.
• LHP Blake Weiman, 26, who the Pirates released last week from Indy, was picked up by the Seattle Mariners and assigned to the Class AA Arkansas Travelers.
• MLB Pipeline has a new Top 100 Prospects list and five Pirates pups are on it (it's the same ol' gang): C Henry Davis (#19), SS Oneil Cruz (#29), 2B Nick Gonzales (#31 - .247 BA at Altoona before he went on the 60-day IL, but hey...), RHP Quinn Priester (#36) and SS Liover Peguero (#45).
• Altoona C Henry Davis and Indy RHP Mike Burrows were selected to play in the Futures Game, to be played on July 16th at Dodger Stadium. However, Davis was put on the 7-day DL with a wrist injury on Friday, which runs almost until game day.
• Bradenton RHP Po-Yu Chen was named Lo-A Florida State League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 27th - July3rd.  Last Friday, Chen pitched five scoreless innings and allowed one hit in a win over Tampa. 
• Altoona's Matt Gorski, the Bucs minor league HR leader, has been shifted from the 7-day IL to the 60 day with a quad injury.
• RHP Rick Rodriguez (2018-21 were his Pirates years) was signed to a minor league contract by the Yankees after his 80-game suspension for a PED violation was served.
• Josh Harrison collected hit #1,000 on Tuesday with an infield single against the Twins. J-Hay banged out 773 of those knocks as a Bucco between 2011-18.
• RHP Chasen Shreve was released by the Mets on Saturday.