Remember when this was Buctober? Me neither...
Pirates Stuff:
- Pirates due for arb: RHP Dennis Santana (3rd yr), RHPs Johan Oviedo, Justin Lawrence & Colin Holderman w/C Joey Bart (2nd year); RHPs Yohan Ramirez & Dauri Moreta w/OFs Oneil Cruz & Jack Suwinski (1st year). RHP Paul Skenes is still pre-arb, but it'll be worth keeping an eye on his contract dance with the FO. There's still lots of time to bargain; the deadline isn't until mid-January.
- Up for free agency: OF/DH Andrew McCutchen and RF Tommy Pham, who can declare after the World Series. Minor league possibilities: 3B Nick Solak, RHPs Eddy Yean & Wilkin Ramos, OF Sammy Siani and 1B/3B Malcom Nunez.
- RHPs Paul Skenes and Dennis Santana were on the ballot for MLB.com's All-MLB squad. It is a fan vote team, with the winners announced 11/13.
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| All-MLB candidates - image via MLB.com |
- Bleacher Report named its top 50 MLB rookies of 2025 and ranked two Pirate pups among the gang - RHPs Braxton Ashcraft (4-4/2.71, 26 games) at No. 26 and Isaac Mattson (3-3/2.45, 44 games) at No. 46.
- The Arizona Fall League started on Tuesday. The Pirates sent Ps Derek Diamond, Joshua Loeschorn, Dominic Perachi, Carlson Reed & Jaden Wood, along w/everyday guys Tony Blanco Jr,, Esmerlyn Valdez and Will Taylor, to Salt River. Also, C Axiel Plaz was assigned to Scottsdale. He was hurt much of 2025 and struggled when he was promoted to High A Greensboro, but has a promising bat and is a Top 30 Pirates Prospect; the Bucs are hoping some extra work gets him untracked. Valdez got off to a hot start: MLB Pipeline picked him as one of the Performers of the Week with a line of .286/two HRs/two RBIs/three runs & six walks while only fanning once in three games.
- Big year for 19-year-old Konnor Griffin - not only did he blaze his way through his first pro year, but he got engaged this week to his girl, Dendy Hogan.
MLB Stuff:
- In the NLDS, LA dispatched the Phils, three-games-to-one. Chicago and Milwaukee went the distance with Game #3 of local interest - Quinn Priester faced Jameson Taillon (spoiler - Priester didn't make it through the first frame in a 4-3 loss). The Brew Crew rode three solo shots to a fifth game series victory over Chi-Town with a 3-1 dub.
- In the ALDS, Toronto eliminated the Yankees in four games while Seattle and Detroit took all five matches to determine a winner. The decisive contest was a doozy, going 15 innings before the M's prevailed, 3-2. The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t played in a Fall Classic since 1993 while the Seattle Mariners have never been to a World Series.
- Toronto and Seattle opened the ALCS on Sunday night, with the Mariners winning Game #1 by a 3-1 count over the Jays.
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| Nick Burdi - 2019 Topps 35th Anniversary |
- RHP Nick Burdi, who was DFA'ed by Boston, has elected free agency. The reliever hasn't been able to shake off the injury bug long enough to establish himself yet after four MLB stops (he was a Buc from 2018-20).
- OF Bryan De La Cruz, Pittsburgh's big pick-up in 2024, was outrighted by the Yankees and declared for free agency.
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