(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mitch Keller pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates placed right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller on the 60-day injured list yesterday with a teres major muscle injury to his throwing arm.

This move effectively ends the 2026 season for Keller, because he would be ineligible to come off the injured list until after the Pirates’ regular-season finale on September 27th.

The thirty-year-old Keller is 6-8 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 22 starts for the Pirates this season and is the team’s longest tenured player. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz hits a three-run double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Spencer Horwitz hit a three-run double and the Pittsburgh Pirates extended their dominance over the Brewers this season, beating Milwaukee 4-3 on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Pittsburgh has won six of seven games against the NL Central-leading Brewers this season.

The Pirates jumped on Brewers starter Brandon Sproat (3-7) in the third. Brandon Lowe and Bryan Reynolds singled and Esmerlyn Valdez walked. Horwitz followed with a bases-clearing double that staked Pittsburgh to a 3-0 lead.

The Pirates added a run in the fourth when Endy Rodriguez led off with a single and moved to third on consecutive wild pitches by Sproat, who was then replaced by Garrett Stallings, with Jacob Gonzalez still at-bat. Stallings eventually struck out Gonzalez before walking Henry Davis and giving up a soft bunt single to Jake Mangum that scored Rodriguez.

Pirates starter Bubba Chandler (4-8) held the Brewers without a hit until David Hamilton’s single up the middle with two outs in the fifth. Joey Ortiz followed with another base hit that drove in Jake Bauers, who had walked leading off the inning.

The Brewers cut the lead to 4-3 in the sixth, with one run scoring on Andrew Vaughn’s single and another on a throwing error, after which Chandler was lifted.

Mason Montgomery pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save in five tries.

Chandler allowed four hits and three runs (two earned) in 5 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out five.

Sproat gave up five hits and four runs in three innings. He struck out four, walked two and threw three wild pitches.

Before the game, the Pirates placed right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller on the 60-day injured list and recalled left-handed pitcher Brandon Eisesrt from Triple-A Indianapolis. Also, the Brewers designated RHP Carlos Rodriguez for assignment.

Up next

Pirates RHP Jared Jones (2-2, 3.81 ERA) will face Brewers RHP Logan Henderson (5-1, 2.66) on Tuesday.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz watches his single off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) The Pittsburgh Pirates activated first baseman Spencer Horwitz from the 10-day injured list yesterday and he returned to play that day for the team’s game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati. 

Horwitz was placed on the injured list on June 25th because of a left hamstring strain and was diagnosed with a concussion on July 28th after being hit in the helmet by a pitch during his rehab assignment. 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval throws during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees in hopes of giving their struggling bullpen a boost.

Pittsburgh is sending prospects Omar Alfonso, a catcher, and Luis Cruz, an outfielder, to New York for Doval.

The 29-year-old Doval, an All-Star in 2023 when he served as the closer for the San Francisco Giants, provides Pittsburgh with a much-needed experienced arm as the Pirates try to hang around in the crowded race for a National League wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen has been an issue all season. The club has blown 20 saves this season, perhaps the biggest reason the Pirates entered Saturday at 55-56 despite scoring the second-most runs in the majors. The latest setback came on Friday night, when a two-run lead in the eighth inning in Cincinnati morphed into an 8-7 loss.

Doval went 3-1 with a 4.54 ERA in 44 games this season for the Yankees. He has had issues with walks recently, issuing at least one free pass in four of his last five appearances with New York, including two while taking the loss against the Chicago White Sox on July 29. Doval has only thrown 56% of his first pitches for strikes this season, among the worst first-strike percentages in the majors.

The durable Doval is one of only eight pitchers to appear in at least 60 games in each of the last four seasons.

Pittsburgh is hoping a new setting provides a fresh start. The Pirates could also use the help. The club designated former closer Dennis Santana for assignment last month and has few viable right-handed options near the back end of the bullpen.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ryan O’Hearn (29) is helped off the field after an injury during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

O’Hearn pulled up and grabbed his left leg while running to first base on a groundout in the ninth inning on Friday night’s 8-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He was helped off the field by manager Don Kelly and a member of the training staff.

The Pirates signed O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million free-agent contract in January. He is batting .270 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs in 96 games. He missed two weeks in May with a right quad injury.

O’Hearn has made 49 appearances at first base, 42 in right field, and 17 as the designated hitter. He homered three times and set a Pirates single-game franchise record with 10 RBIs against the Braves on July 7.

In other moves, the Pirates recalled right-hander Isaac Mattson from Triple-A Indianapolis, activated catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr. from the IL and optioned right-hander Antwone Kelly to Triple-A.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds’ Chase Burns pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Cincinnati, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Chase Burns won his 12th straight decision and Sal Stewart hit his 24th home run as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-2 on Sunday to take three of four in the series.

Stewart tied Joey Votto for second-most homers by a Reds rookie. Votto hit 24 in 2008. Frank Robinson holds the franchise’s rookie mark with 38 homers in 1956.

Burns (13-1) is the first Reds pitcher to win 12 straight decisions since Brooks Lawrence won 13 straight in 1956.

Burns allowed one run on two hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in six innings and lowered his ERA to 2.35. It was Burns’ 17th start allowing two runs or fewer.

The game was delayed 25 minutes in the fourth while the grounds crew applied drying compound on the infield and batter’s box. Despite steady rainfall, the tarp was never brought out. Pirates manager Don Kelly was ejected after voicing his displeasure.

Pirates starter Mitch Keller (6-8) allowed three runs on four straight hits in the first inning.

Stewart’s homer into the second deck of the bleachers in left field put the Reds ahead 1-0.

JJ Bleday followed with a single and scored on a double by Tyler Stephenson, who then came home on Nathaniel Lowe’s single to make it 3-0.

Former Pirate Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a homer to make the score 4-0 in the second.

Elly De La Cruz’s third-inning single off Noah Murdock drove in two runs to make the score 7-0. Keller allowed seven earned runs and walked four in two innings.

Consecutive RBI doubles by Lowe and Dane Myers off Ron Marinaccio made the score 9-1 in the fourth.

Right-hander Camilo Doval, acquired on Saturday from the Yankees, made his Pirates debut in the eighth inning and allowed an opposite-field home run by Stephenson.

Up next

Pirates: RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.56 ERA) scheduled to start Monday at Milwaukee.

Reds: RHP Brady Singer (5-10, 4.35) scheduled to start Tuesday against Oakland.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Henry Davis scores after a bases loaded walk is drawn by Bryan Reynolds during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Braxton Ashcraft gave up two hits over five innings, while a pair of bases-loaded walks during a three-run third helped the Pittsburgh Pirates snap a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.

Steady rain was falling in the third inning when Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott issued four walks including two with the bases loaded to Brandon Lowe and Esmerlyn Valdez to help the Pirates take a 2-0 lead.

The game was delayed one hour and 46 minutes by rain during the sixth inning.

Abbott threw 43 pitches in the third. Following his walk to Reynolds, Abbott had the grounds crew apply drying compound to the mound. His foot slipped on two of his deliveries to Valdez.

Abbott (5-7) allowed three earned runs on three hits with five walks and one strikeout on 98 pitches.

Ashcraft (11-4) retired the first eight batters and didn’t allow a hit until Nathaniel Lowe’s single with one out in the fourth.

Reds catcher Jose Trevino hit his fourth home run of the season to make the score 3-1 in the fifth. That was the only run allowed by Ashcraft, who had a walk and five strikeouts.

Marcell Ozuna doubled and scored on Henry Davis’ single to extend the Pirates’ lead to 4-1 in the sixth shortly before the game was delayed.

Carmen Mlodzinski replaced Ashcraft following the rain delay and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with a walk and four strikeouts.

Gregory Soto pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 14th save.

Up next

Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (6-7, 4.83 ERA) opposes Reds RHP Chase Burns (12-1, 2.40) in Sunday’s series finale.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds’ Hunter Greene pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Sal Stewart hit a two-run homer, had four RBIs, and scored the winning run as the Cincinnati Reds rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on Friday night.

Stewart’s two-run single off Wilber Dotel (1-4) in the eighth tied the score 7-7. Stewart scored the go-ahead run from third on Brandon Lowe’s fielding error.

Emilio Pagán (4-1) struck out one in one inning for Cincinnati.

The Pirates trailed 5-4 with two outs in the eighth, but three straight RBI singles by Henry Davis, Jake Mangum and Lowe put them ahead 7-5.

Reds right-hander Hunter Greene, who’s been mentioned in trade speculation, made his fifth start since coming off the injured list and allowed four earned runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Nick Gonzales’ first-inning single with the bases loaded drove in two runs to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0.

Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA in seven career starts against Cincinnati, but he struggled on Friday. Skenes allowed five earned runs on seven hits with a season-high four walks and seven strikeouts.

He needed 36 pitches to get through the first inning. Tyler Stephenson doubled home JJ Bleday with the Reds’ first run. Stephenson scored the tying run on Nathaniel Lowe’s single.

Mangum’s third home run of the season and first since July 9 put the Pirates ahead 3-2 in the second.

Bleday tied the score 3-3 with his 19th home run on Skenes’ first offering with one out in the third.

Stewart’s home run in the fourth inning put the Reds ahead 5-3. It was his 23rd of the season, tying him with Spencer Steer for third-most for a Reds rookie, one behind Joey Votto who hit 24 in 2008.

Up next

Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (10-4, 4.05 ERA) will oppose Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.85) on Saturday night.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds’ Elly de la Cruz rounds the bases after single by Sal Stewart during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz scored on fielder’s choice in the ninth inning to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night in the opening game of a four-game series.

Cincinnati loaded the bases against Gregory Soto (5-3) with one out. Lowe grounded softly to second for a potential game-ending double play but beat the throw as De La Cruz scored easily. De La Cruz hit three doubles, stole two bases and had an RBI.

Emilio Pagan (3-1) got the win.

Pirates opener Yohan Ramírez pitched two scoreless innings allowing one hit with a walk and four strikeouts in his first career start after 208 relief appearances, the most by a Pirates pitcher before making a start.

The previous franchise mark was set by Michael Feliz who made his first start in 2019 after 156 relief appearances.

Matt McLain, activated from the 10-day injured list on Thursday, led off the third with a single and scored on De La Cruz’s double to put the Reds ahead 1-0. Sal Stewart singled home De La Cruz to make it 2-0.

The last time he faced Pittsburgh, Rhett Lowder allowed eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings in a 17-7 loss on May 2 at PNC Park, but he fared better on Thursday allowing two earned runs in six innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

Nick Gonzales led off the fifth with a double and later scored on Jacob Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly to cut the Pirates’ deficit to 2-1.

Brandon Lowe led off the sixth with his 22nd homer to tie the score 2-2.

Both teams loaded the bases in the seventh but failed to score. The teams combined to go 2 for 22 with runners in scoring position, with Cincinnati going 1 for 15.

Up next

Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (9-9, 3.65 ERA) opposes RHP Hunter Greene (2-2, 7.06) on Friday night.