Pittsburgh Pirates News & Notes 05/01/2026

The Pittsburgh Pirates enter the new month with a 16-16 record after a challenging home stand. The team was swept in a four-game series by the St. Louis Cardinals, concluding with a 10-5 loss yesterday afternoon.

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MLB Game Recap

St. Louis ambushed ace Paul Skenes with two home runs in the first inning. They eventually secured a 10-5 victory to complete the sweep. Skenes posted a line of 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 9 K, and 0 BB on 102 pitches, reaching the 100-pitch plateau for the first time this season. Pittsburgh cut the lead to 5-4 by the seventh inning. Then, the Cardinals broke the game open with a five-run eighth inning against reliever Isaac Mattson.

Standout Performer

Bryan Reynolds anchored the lineup, finishing 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, one walk, and a run scored. He hit a two-run double in the fifth inning. This brought the Pirates within two runs. It also momentarily shifted the momentum back to the home dugout.

Key News & Notes

The Pirates added veteran right-hander Chris Devenski to their roster. They designated Ryan Harbin for assignment to clear 40-man roster space. Harbin is on the 60-day injured list due to a teres major injury. He is not expected back until late May. Pittsburgh heads into Friday on a five-game losing streak, now sitting 4.5 games behind the first-place Reds.

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Farm Report

Triple-A (Indianapolis): Ronny Simon: 3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, BB in a 5-2 loss to Memphis. Simon’s third-inning solo blast was his third home run of the season.
Double-A (Altoona): Titus Dumitru: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 BB in an 18-6 loss (11 innings) to Richmond. The Curve stayed even through ten innings before surrendering 12 runs in the final frame.

High-A (Greensboro): Jones: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI in a 4-3 win over Winston-Salem. Jones provided the decisive offense with a two-run double to help the Grasshoppers improve to 14-10.
Single-A (Bradenton): Murf Gray: 3-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB in a 13-6 win over Lakeland. Gray’s perfect night at the plate led a 14-hit Marauders explosion.

Looking Ahead

The Pirates host the division-leading Cincinnati Reds tonight to begin a three-game series at PNC Park. Mitch Keller is the probable starter for Pittsburgh against Cincinnati’s Brady Singer.

Stopping a five-game slide against the hottest team in the division is a tall order. However, Mitch Keller often steps up when the rotation needs a stopper. What do you think?