Notes: Another Losing Week; Player Moves; Draft Signings; Pirates, Minors & MLB News

Youth shall be served...

Notes:

• The Guardians arrived in town at the same time as the Pirates long-awaited youth movement. The Pirates starting pitching was awful, but Pittsburgh salvaged 1-of-3, winning the finale, 7-5. Next,  they were West-Coast bound, meeting the Angels and Padres. Henry Davis became the first MLB player to have a multi-homer game against Shohei Ohtani and it was the first time Ohtani gave  up four home runs in a game. Unfortunately, LA hit four dingers too and won 8-5. Pirates pitching, geez...Then five guys threw a bullpen game shutout for the Bucs, winning 3-0. Mitch keller was next up; three homers later, the Pirates lost the game, 7-5, and the series, two games to one.
• RHP Quinn Priester, C/1B Endy Rodrigez and SS Liover Peguero arrived Monday; C Jason Delay, OF Josh Palacios and RHP Cody Bolton were optioned to Indy. Shelty said that Endy will become the primary catcher with Austin Hedges his caddy (and tutor, we assume). Peggy and Nick Gonzales have played together regularly and will man the middle while Quinn will get a regular rotation spot. That leaves Henry Davis in RF/DH; we're curious if he gradually slips into catching time. At any rate, the future is arriving.
• LHP Jose Hernandez finished his rehab and was recalled; RHP Yohan Ramirez was optioned back to Indy.

Endy Rodriguez - 7/19/2023 photo/Pirates

• C Endy Rodriguez hit his first MLB homer on Saturday at Angels Stadium. And horrors - the ump didn't realize it and tossed the ball into the stands! But the Angels Mike Moustakas retrieved the keepsake and worked out a ball exchange with the fan. (S/O Jason Mackey, Post-Gazette)
• 3B Jason Triolo's 13-game hitting streak ended Saturday.
• Connor Joe is working out at second base. No, we're not sure why, although Nick Gonzales is struggling with his offensive game. Maybe they've written off all the middle infielders floating around in the organization. 
• The rumor mill suggested that Ke'Bryan Hayes is unhappy in Pittsburgh. Hayes countered by saying his frustrations aren't with the team but with his balky back.
• RHP Wil Crowe was DFA'ed; he just completed his rehab assignment at Indy. From 2021-23, he slashed 10-19-5/5.03 in 91 outings for the Pirates.
• It's been a busy few days for the Pirates' 2018 first-round pick OF Travis Swaggerty - he finished his rehab, was sent to Indy, and on Monday was DFA'ed as the Bucs needed a 40-man roster space.
• The Mets placed OF Starling Marte on the IL; he's suffering from migraines.
• RHP Chad Kuhl, who was released by the Nats, said he turned down offers to pitch and is going to stay in DC while his wife, Amanda, continues her cancer regimen. Prayers for a good fam.
• Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen entered the Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Paul Skenes at signing - image AT&T SportsNet

• Draft Signings: Paul Skenes, RHP, Louisiana State, 1st round (signed for $9,200,000, which breaks the 2020 MLB draft bonus record of $8,416,300 of the Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, but is still under the slot value $9,721,000); Zander Mueth, RHP, Bellevue East HS, 2nd round (signed for $1.8M, slot value $1,128,200);  Garret Forrester, 3B, Oregon State, 3rd round (signed for $775K, slot value $990,300); Carlson Reed, RHP, WVU, 4th round (signed for $646, 900, slot value $597,500); Patrick Reilly, RHP, Vandy, 5th round (signed for $455,600, slot value $453,100); Hunter Fortado, LHP, Alabama, 6th round (slot value $351,400); Jaden Woods, LHP, Georgia, 7th round (slot value $273,800); Austin Strickland, RHP, Kentucky, 8th round (signed for $197,500, slot value $216,900); Danny Carrion, RHP, UC Davis, 9th round (signed for $157,500, slot value $184,500); Landon Tompkins, RHP, Louisiana Tech, 10th round (signed for $15,000, slot value $171,200); Magdiel Cotto, LHP, Kentucky, 11th round (undisclosed, $150K pool value); Khristian Curtis, RHP, Arizona State, 12th round (signed for $500K, $150K pool value); Charles McAdoo, 2B, San Jose State, 13th round (signed for pool value, $150K); Garrett McMillan, RHP, Alabama, 14th round (signed for pool value, $150K); John Lopez, C, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, 15th round, (undisclosed, pool value $150K); Justin Miknis, C, Kent State, 16th round, (undisclosed, pool value $150K); Tyler Kennedy, RHP, Florida SouthWestern, 19th round (signed for $172.5K, pool value $150K); Peyton Stumbo, RHP, Nevada, 20th round (undisclosed, pool value $150K); and Ronaldo Gallo, RHP, Miami, undrafted.