Pittsburgh Pirates
NL Central
Mon, Mar 25th 3:27pm EDT
By Ari Koslow
Bryan Reynolds has been sidelined the past three days due to minor mid-back discomfort, but he is expected to be good to go for Opening Day. (Source: Jason Mackey on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The Pirates are seemingly being cautious with Reynolds. He is expected to play on Thursday when the Pirates open the season in Miami.
Category: Injury Updates
Jared Jones has made the Opening Day roster for the Pirates. (Source: Alex Stumpf on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Jones did not allow an earned run across 16 1/3 innings pitched in Spring Training. It earned him a spot in the starting rotation for the Pirates heading into the season. He'll be an intriguing stash in deeper fantasy leagues.
Category: Transactions
Ryder Ryan has made the bullpen on the Pirates Opening Day roster. (Source: Alex Stumpf on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Ryan made his MLB debut with the Mariners last season. He should hold a role in the middle innings out of the bullpen for the Pirates.
Category: Transactions
Yasmani Grandal will open the season on the 10-day injured list. (Source: Alex Stumpf on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Grandal has not begun running yet as he continues to work his way back from a foot injury. Henry Davis will open the season behind the plate for the Pirates with Jason Delay backing him up.
Category: Injury Updates
Ji Hwan Bae will start the season on the 10-day injured list. (Source: Alex Stumpf on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Bae is working his way back from a hip injury. He will look to earn a utility role off the bench when he is healthy.
Category: Injury Updates
The Boston Red Sox are in agreement with right-hander Chase Anderson on a major league deal. (Source: Chris Cotillo on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Anderson opted out of his deal with the Pirates and has landed with the Red Sox on a majors pact. The righty posted a 5.42 ERA between the Rays and Rockies in 2023 and posted a 2.45 ERA in four spring outings with the Pirates in 2024.
Category: Transactions
The Pirates have reassigned SP Paul Skenes to their minor-league camp. (Source: Pirates on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: The Pirates had already announced that Skenes would begin the season in the minor leagues. The 21-year-old should begin the season in Triple-A and could make his debut later in the 2024 season.
Category: Transactions
Pirates closer David Bednar (lat) will throw a bullpen session Friday. (Source: Jason Mackey on Twitter )
Fantasy Impact: Bednar is set to throw off a mound for the first time since suffering tightness in his lat at the start of the month. The 29-year-old does not have a firm timetable for his return.
Category: Injury Updates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed left-hander Eric Lauer to a minor-league deal. (Source: Ken Rosenthal on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Lauer spent the past four seasons with the Brewers but had to settle for a minors deal following a poor 2023 season. The southpaw worked to a 6.56 ERA in 10 outings (nine starts) with the Brewers while also scuffling to a 5.15 ERA in 12 appearances (nine starts) at the Triple-A level.
Category: Transactions
Pirates GM Ben Cherington said the team expects Dauri Moreta will be out for a while. (Source: Alex Stumpf on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Moreta left Sunday's game early with a right elbow injury. The team is still learning more about the specifics of his injury, but it appears he'll open the season on the injured list. He posted a 3.72 ERA across 58 innings over 55 appearances out of the bullpen for the Pirates last season.
Category: Injury Updates
Andrew McCutchen is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday against the Blue Jays. (Source: Jason Mackey on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: McCutchen landed a one-year deal this offseason to return to Pittsburgh. He told reporters that his modified, back-field program has kept his health/body in a great spot. He is expected to primarily serve at designated hitter.
The Pirates signed Dustin Peterson to a minor league deal. (Source: MILB.com)
Fantasy Impact: Peterson last appeared in an MLB game during the 2019 season with the Tigers. He'll provide some depth in the Pirates organization.
Category: Transactions
Oneil Cruz took batting practice on Sunday. (Source: Jason Mackey on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Cruz is fully healthy in camp after his season was cut short early last year due to a fractured fibula in his left leg. The upside remains high for the former top prospect in what'll hopefully be a healthy season.
Category: Injury Updates
The Pirates have named Mitch Keller as their Opening Day starter. (Source: Pittsburgh Pirates on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Keller gets the Opening Day nod on the same day he signed a five-year extension. He'll look to continue to build off a strong season last year.
The Pirates placed JT Brubaker on the 60-day injured list. (Source: Pittsburgh Pirates on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Brubaker is expected to miss at least the first half of the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. This move opened up a roster spot for Canaan Smith-Njigba.
Category: Injury Updates
The Pirates placed Endy Rodriguez on the 60-day injured list.
Fantasy Impact: This was a move to open up a roster spot for Yasmani Grandal. Rodríguez is expected the miss the entire season following offseason surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow.
Category: Transactions
The Pirates placed Johan Oviedo on the 60-day injured list.
Fantasy Impact: This was a move to open a roster spot for Josh Fleming. He is expected to miss the whole season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Category: Transactions
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed free-agent pitcher Brent Honeywell to a minor-league deal. (Source: Jon Morosi on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: The deal will pay the left-hander $1.25 million in the majors. A former Rays top prospect, now 28, Honeywell has scuffled in the big leagues, tossing a 5.08 ERA across 43 career appearances. He posted a 4.82 ERA across 40 outings between the White Sox and Padres in the 2023 season.
Category: Transactions
The Mariners claimed Canaan Smith-Njigba off waivers from the Pirates. (Source: Seattle Mariners on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Smith-Njigba joins his brother, Jaxon in Seattle, a wide receiver for the Seahawks. He'll likely report to Triple-A Tacoma as a depth outfielder in the Mariners organization.
Category: Transactions
Thu, Jan 11th 5:51pm EST
By Ari Koslow
Connor Joe signed a one-year deal worth $2.125 million with the Pirates to avoid arbitration. (Source: Jason Mackey on Twitter)
Fantasy Impact: Joe hit .247 with 11 home runs last season in Pittsburgh. He figures to remain in his platoon role again this year with the Pirates.
Category: Transactions