Notes: Pirates Finally Win A Couple Of Games, Cutch Hurt

Summertime blues...

The week started at San Diego on the same ol' note, another one-run loss, 2-1. The Pirates are 1-10 with seven one-run losses during this recent stretch of misery. Game #2 was another loss, 3-0, and they got trampled in the finale, 8-2, with all eight runs charged to Mitch Keller. That's three consecutive sweeps and 10 straight losses, their third 10-in-a-row drubbings in four years.

Bailey Falter - 2024 Topps Heritage

Friday opened a three-game set at PNC v Seattle and yay, won the opener, 5-3. Paul Skenes was solid, but victory may have come at a price as Cutch left the game with a bum knee. Game two featured another sound start, this one by Bailey Falter, and three dingers by IKF, Rowdy and Jared Triolo on the way to a 7-2 dub. It was back to form for the getaway game. The pitching, hitting and fielding all took a siesta in a 10-3 drubbing.

The Bucs visit Texas for three games starting today, then return home to face the Reds in a four-game set and the Cubs for three contests. 

Moves/Injuries: 

• Andrew McCutchen was removed from Friday’s game due to left knee discomfort (he's been playing with a gimpy leg for the past couple of weeks) and Oneil Cruz was removed shortly thereafter due to left ankle discomfort when he tumbled taking a turn around second. Cutch went on the 10-day IL (he was on an 11-game hitting streak, too) and IF Alika Williams was called up. Cruz just suffered an oowie; he DH'ed the next game.
• LHP Marcos Gonzales was placed on the IL with a forearm strain. RHP Ryder Ryan was recalled from Indy, probably out of habit.
• LHP Ryan Borucki began a rehab assignment Saturday with Indy.
• RHP Colin Holderman, who went on the IL last week (wrist), threw a bullpen on Wednesday and live BP a coupla days later, so he's very near a rehab assignment.
• OF Edward Olivares and LHP Josh Walker cleared waivers and were sent to Indy. Olivares accepted the assignment & Walker agreed to a new minor-league deal. 

Stuff:

• Guess whose farm system has dropped to #20 per MLB Pipeline?
• RHP Bubba Chandler (#44) led the four Bucco pups rated among the latest MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospects. The others are SS/CF Konnor Griffin (#55), 2B Termarr Johnson (#84) and RHP Thomas Harrington (#96).
• Chandler was named as the International League Pitcher of the Week for his seven shutout innings (2 hits, 6 K) in his Indy debut last week. He has a good chance of repeating, too - in this week's outing, he tossed shutout ball, whiffing 11 in six innings.

• The MLBPA is suing Sheetz and the Pirates over a licensing beef (Renatta Signorini, Trib) regarding the new sleeve patch on the Pirates jerseys being pushed for marketing. The FO said the parties are working on a verbal deal to settle the issue.
• Boston signed RHP Rich Hill to a minor-league deal.
• The Dodgers put RHP Tyler Glasnow (elbow) on the 15-day IL.
• The Rockies placed C Elias Diaz on outright waivers. They also lost LHP Chasen Shreve, who was DFA'ed, went unclaimed, and declared for free agency.
• RHP Brent Honeywell, whom the Dodgers claimed from the Bucs in July, was DFA'ed by LA despite a 2.21 ERA in 20-1/3 IP.