Notes: Bucs Off To Hot Start; IL Filling Up; Minors and MLB News

First full week...

Notes:

• The week got off to a great start with the Bucs sweeping three games at Fenway v the Bosox. Roansy Contreras, Mitch Keller and the bullpen were stellar while Bryan Reynolds was a sparkplug for the attack. They opened PNC's season Friday with Rich Hill starting, AJ Burnett-Russ Martin as the first pitch battery and governor Josh Shapiro tossing a ceremonial pitch ahead of them. Despite all those arms, it was not a day for pitching, but still a good one as the Bucs won, 13-9. Cutch got his ovations and two knocks while Bryan Reynolds had a day with three hits, including his fifth dinger/a career-high-tying six RBI. Connor Joe added four raps while Jason Delay/Ji Hwan Bae banged out another trio of raps each. They split the next pair, losing a 11-5 batfest, then coming back with Johan Oviedo and a 1-0 shutout for a pretty sweet 5-1 week, except that...
• SS Oneill Cruz broke his left ankle when he made an awkward, late slide into home against Chicago, crashing into catcher Seby Zavala. Zavala flipped his mask and barked at the prone Cruz. Carlos Santana scolded the backstop, and that started a bench-clearing brawl as Oneil was helped off the field on virtually one leg.
• It never ends with Pirates catchers. Austin Hedges was placed on the 7-day concussion IL (he's catching bullpens/taking BP and expected back sometime during the week), with Tyler Heineman called up from Indy. Heineman wasn't on the 40-man roster, so the recently acquired RHP Edwin Uceta was DFA'ed to open a spot. The Bucs went through eight backstops last year; it's hard for a pitching staff to be consistent if the catching isn't. Fortunately, they should be comfortable with Jason Delay, who caught 57 games last year.
• The medicos are still in the process of determining the injuries of RHP JT Brubaker (forearm/elbow pain) and LHP Jalin Garcia (biceps). RHP Vince Velasquez turned his ankle on Saturday, but X-rays came back clean and he's expected to be on schedule to make his next start.

JT Brubaker - 2023 Topps

• RHP Mike Burrows was pulled after 28 pitches at Indy on Saturday with forearm pain; he'll be checked out during the week. The 23-year-old is ranked #9 on the Pirates Prospects list by MLB.com.
• IF Jared Triolo had hamate surgery on his hand on March 28th. He's expected to resume full baseball activities in 4-6 weeks. 
• John Dreker of Pirates Prospects reports a returning warrior, though: RHP Braxton Ashcraft, 23, is starting a rehab assignment to Bradenton. The 2018 2nd-round prep pick hasn't pitched since 2021, when he had TJ surgery.  Also, IF Termann Johnson (hammy) has completed his running regimen and is rehabbing via simulated games now.
• OF Ryan Vilade cleared waivers and was assigned to Indy.
• Speaking of things that never change - C Roberto Perez, 34, who played 21 games for the Pirates last year before being lost for the season with a bad hammy, got into five games for his new club, the Giants, before a rotator cuff strain put him on the 60-day IL.
• Houston outrighted OF/1B Bligh Madris to their AAA club. Madris has gone from Pittsburgh in September to Tampa  Bay to Detroit to Houston. His MLB resume is 39 games with the Bucs last year, hitting .177, although he did bat .273 for the 'Stros in camp. 
• Atlanta DFA'ed OF Jordan Luplow, who started his MLB career in 2017-18 in Pittsburgh. The Bravos were his fourth organization since he left. In six years as a bench piece, he's put  up a .213 BA.
• MLB owners approved the minor league CBA by a 30-0 vote, making it a done deal.