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Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft: Surrenders five in no-decision
Rotowire
Ashcraft settled for a no-decision Thursday against the Nationals, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out seven in 5.2 innings pitched.
Ashcraft's streak of allowing two or fewer earned runs in a start this season will continue, however five runs charged to him did come across in Thursday's contest, the most he's allowed since becoming a starter. The 26-year-old continued to strike batters out at a high rate, sending seven Nationals hitters down via the strikeout. That brings his total up to 27 against just seven walks through 22.2 innings of work on the year. The right-hander is lined up to wrestle with the Rangers, tied for fifth in MLB with 21 home runs, in his next start.
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Pirates' Marcell Ozuna: Slaps three-run homer in loss
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Ozuna went 1-for-4 with a walk and a three-run home run during Thursday's 8-7 loss to the Nationals.
Ozuna has been mired in a big slump to start the season, but he seems to be shaking that off and heating up as of late. The 35-year-old crushed his first home run of the season Thursday, a three-run homer in the fifth that allowed the Pirates to match a four-run inning by the Nationals with one of their own. After having just two hits in the first 10 games, the 14-year veteran has five hits as part of a four-game hit streak.
Pirates' Edward Florentino: Playing in extended spring games
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Florentino (ankle) has progressed to playing in extended spring training games this week, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Florentino has been sidelined all season with a left ankle injury that dates back to February. The Pirates will see how the top prospect handles extended spring action before determining whether to send him on an official rehab assignment or activate him from the 7-day injured list at High-A Greensboro. Florentino was one of the biggest prospect breakouts in 2025 when he slashed .290/.400/.548 between the Florida Complex League and Single-A Bradenton.
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Pirates' Anthony Solometo: Recurring shoulder issues
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Solometo is sidelined at Double-A Altoona with recurring left shoulder discomfort, Jose Negron of DK Pittsburgh Sports reports.
Solometo missed much of the 2025 season with shoulder problems, and they're evidently still nagging at him early on in the 2026 season. The lefty will get another opinion from Dr. Keith Meister before a decision is made on how best to proceed. He yielded four runs with a 0:2 K:BB over two innings in his first two appearances for Altoona before getting hurt.
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Pirates' Mike Clevinger: Nursing sprained knee
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Clevinger is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks after being diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Clevinger will be immobilized for several weeks before resuming workouts. The veteran right-hander has been pitching out of the bullpen at Triple-A Indianapolis, allowing five runs with a 9:5 K:BB across 8.2 innings. He won't be an option for the Pirates until sometime in June, at the earliest.
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Pirates' Jared Triolo: Will run bases next week
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Triolo (knee) is scheduled to resume running the bases next week, Jason Mackey of MLB.com reports.
Triolo has already been doing all other baseball activities and is set to take a big step next week when he runs the bases. The utility infielder is less than two weeks removed from going down with a patellar tendon injury in his right knee but looks to be making swift progress. A timetable for his return could become clearer after he runs the bases next week.
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Pirates' Joey Bart: Playing time trending up
Rotowire
Bart will start at catcher and bat seventh in Thursday's game against the Nationals.
It's the fifth start across the last eight contests for Bart, who could be emerging the 1A to Henry Davis' 1B at catcher for the Pirates. Bart is hitting only .136/.231/.273 this season but did hit his first home run of the season in his last start Tuesday.
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Pirates' Henry Davis: Losing playing time
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Davis is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Nationals.
After starting eight of the first 11 games of the season, Davis has been in the lineup just three times across the past eight tilts. Davis' production at the plate has picked up a bit recently, but he's slashing just .216/.326/.297 overall. Joey Bart (.136/.231/.273) has been even worse, but he might have inched past Davis on the depth chart.
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Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn: Sitting versus southpaw
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O'Hearn is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Nationals.
The left-handed-hitting O'Hearn has been getting an opportunity to play against most lefties this season, but he'll begin this one on the bench as the Nationals send southpaw Foster Griffin to the hill. Jake Mangum will occupy right field and bat leadoff for the Pirates.
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Pirates' Bryan Reynolds: Grabbing first day off
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Reynolds is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Nationals.
It's the first day off this season for Reynolds, who boasts a .288/.400/.470 batting line with three home runs in his first 18 games this season. Billy Cook will handle left field and bat ninth for the Pirates in Thursday's series finale.
Jones (elbow) threw a live batting practice session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Pitching coach Bill Murphy reported that Jones looked "amazing," though the team didn't release specific details about the session. Jones is expected to throw a few more live bullpen sessions before beginning a rehab assignment, and he continues to line up for a return in late May.
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Pirates' Ryan O'Hearn: Three-hit performance
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O'Hearn went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base Wednesday against the Nationals.
O'Hearn managed his sixth multi-hit performance across 17 games to begin the season, and his second in his last four contests. He also recorded his first stolen base of the year. O'Hearn has had a strong start to his first campaign in Pittsburgh, hitting .333 with nine runs scored, 13 RBI and three home runs.
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Pirates' Marcell Ozuna: Small signs of improvement
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Ozuna went 1-for-4 with an RBI on Wednesday against the Nationals.
Ozuna drove in one of Pittsburgh's two runs with a single in the first inning. That extended his hitting streak to three games and continued some needed improvement, as he had only two hits across his first 39 at-bats of the year. During his modest three-game hit streak, Ozuna has one double, two RBI and a run scored.
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Pirates' Dennis Santana: Shuts door for second save
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Santana picked up the save Wednesday against the Nationals, hitting a batter but allowing no other baserunners in a scoreless ninth inning. He did not record a strikeout
After it looked as though left-hander Gregory Soto was Pittsburgh's preferred closer earlier this year, Santana might be taking back over as the club's favorite for saves. The right-hander sports a 1.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB with two saves over his first nine innings, though he did blow a save Saturday against the Cubs. Soto has four holds to one save chance, whereas Santana has two holds to his three save opportunities.
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Pirates' Carmen Mlodzinski: Shines in long relief Wednesday
Rotowire
Mlodzinski (1-0) earned the win Wednesday against the Nationals, allowing no runs on two hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five.
Working in long relief behind opener Mason Montgomery, Mlodzinski delivered six sterling frames for the Pirates on Wednesday. It was easily the best outing of the year so far for the right-hander, who set a season high in innings and gave up a season-low two hits. Mlodzinski has a 1.77 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB over his first 20.1 innings (three starts), and it remains to be seen how Pittsburgh will opt to deploy him in his next scheduled appearance versus Texas.
Griffin is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest versus the Nationals.
Nick Gonzales will get a start at shortstop while Griffin receives a day off. The 19-year-old is hitting only .189/.279/.243 in his first 43 plate appearances for the Pirates, though he has reached base four times over his last two games.
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