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Cruz went 2-for-3 with two walks, a stolen base, three RBI and three runs scored in Monday's 16-5 win over the Nationals.
Cruz continued his hot start, extending his hitting streak to 12 games while stuffing the stat sheet in another dominant performance. The 27-year-old's biggest swing came in Pittsburgh's 10-run sixth inning, when he ripped a 114.1 mph single off the right-field wall to drive in two runs. The dynamic shortstop has been one of baseball's most productive players early on, ranking among the league leaders in hits (22), home runs (5), RBI (16), batting average (.355), slugging percentage (.645) and OPS (1.074), while also sitting tied atop the NL in stolen bases (7). Through 16 games, Cruz looks every bit like the breakout star many expected and will look to continue his dominance at the plate as the season progresses.
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Pirates' Bryan Reynolds: Drives in four in three hit game
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Reynolds went 3-for-4 with a triple, a hit-by-pitch, a run scored and four RBI in Monday's 16-5 win over the Nationals.
In his second three-hit performance of the season, Reynolds helped spark Pittsburgh's massive sixth inning, ripping a bases-clearing triple off Jackson Rutledge -- his first of the season -- to jumpstart the club's 10-run frame. The 31-year-old has now hit safely in 11 of his first 16 games, including five multi-hit efforts. Through 72 plate appearances, Reynolds is slashing .290/.375/.484 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 12 runs and one stolen base.
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Pirates' Brandon Lowe: Continues power surge vs. Nats
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Lowe went 3-for-5 with a home run, a walk, five RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 16-5 win over the Nationals.
Lowe powered Pittsburgh's offense again Monday, driving in five runs and capping the club's 10-run sixth inning with his sixth homer of the season, a three-run shot off Brad Lord. It was the veteran second baseman's second hit of the frame and moved him into a tie for second in MLB in home runs. Lowe has been on an absolute tear with three homers and 10 RBI over his last two games, becoming the first player in Pirates history to record five RBI in back-to-back games. Through 65 plate appearances in 2026, the 31-year-old is slashing .278/.400/.678 with 14 RBI and a 186 wRC+, looking every bit like one of the league's most productive bats.
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Pirates' Paul Skenes: Dominates against Washington
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Skenes (3-1) earned the win Monday against the Nationals, allowing one run on one hit and one walk while striking out six over six innings.
After beginning the outing with back-to-back punchouts, the 23-year-old surrendered a solo homer to CJ Abrams in the first inning, but was nearly untouchable from that point forward. Skenes retired 16 of the next 17 batters and leaned heavily on his changeup, throwing a career-high 32 of them among his 88 pitches Monday. After a disastrous Opening Day outing in which he failed to escape the first, Skenes has responded emphatically, stringing together three consecutive starts with just one run allowed in each while winning all three. The right-hander looks to have rebounded back to the Cy Young-caliber form fantasy managers have come to expect, lowering his ERA to 4.00 while posting a 0.94 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB across 18 innings.
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Pirates' Anthony Solometo: Lands on MiLB IL
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Solometo (undisclosed) was placed on the 7-day injured list Friday, Anthony Murphy of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
The nature of Solometo's injury is unclear at this time, though he'll miss at least the seven-day minimum while on the mend. He appeared in two games at Double-A Altoona before being placed on the injured list.
Pirates' Jared Jones: Uses full arsenal in live BP
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Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said that Jones (elbow) made use of all of his pitches during his most recent live batting practice session April 6, MLB.com reports.
Jones has been conducting his rehab from UCL surgery at the Pirates' facility in Florida, but he has returned to Pittsburgh this week and is scheduled to throw a side session in front of the coaching and medical staffs Tuesday, per Chris Halicke of DKPittsburghSports.com. The Pirates haven't revealed a timeline for when Jones might be cleared for a minor-league rehab assignment, but he could be ready to take that step soon since he's been able to face hitters in live BP for nearly two months. Jones won't be eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list until late May and will likely need close to the entire 30-day window to build up his pitch count during his rehab assignment.
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Pirates' Marcell Ozuna: Sliding back to bench Monday
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Ozuna is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals.
After a recent two-game benching, Ozuna returned to the starting nine for all three contests of the Pirates' series versus the Cubs over the weekend but went just 1-for-12 with a walk and four strikeouts. Now sitting on a lowly .070/.167/.070 slash line over 48 plate appearances on the season, Ozuna could be in line for a part-time role at designated hitter until he turns a corner at the dish.
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Pirates' Evan Sisk: Receives call from Triple-A
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The Pirates recalled Sisk from Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Sisk will be joining the big-league bullpen as a replacement for fellow lefty Hunter Barco, who had struggled with his control through his first four appearances and was unlikely to be available for Monday's game against the Nationals after tossing 1.2 innings the day before. The 28-year-old Sisk reached the majors for the first time in 2025, compiling a 3.57 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 25:10 K:BB In 17.2 innings over 19 appearances between stints with Kansas City and Pittsburgh.
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Pirates' Hunter Barco: Optioned to Indianapolis
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The Pirates optioned Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Barco cracked the Opening Day roster as a long reliever, but he was used sparingly and didn't pitch well on those occasions, allowing seven runs (five earned) with a 5:7 K:BB over seven innings of work. The southpaw will likely join the rotation at Indianapolis, where he can get stretched back out and wait for another opportunity in the majors.
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Pirates' Seth Hernandez: Dominant start to pro career
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Hernandez has a 1.29 ERA, 0.57 WHIP and 15:1 K:BB in seven innings through his first two starts for Single-A Bradenton.
He has a comical 56.0 K-BB% and shouldn't be at Single-A much longer. Hernandez looks the part of a future ace, he just needs to stay healthy on what could be a relatively quick path to the majors, relative to other prep pitchers. Already 19 and turning 20 in June, Hernandez is on track to reach High-A and Double-A before the end of his first pro season.
Cruz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, one walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Cubs.
With the wind whipping out to center at Wrigley Field on Sunday, Cruz led off the game with a solo blast. He struck out in each of his next three trips to the plate before walking and stealing his sixth base of the season in the ninth inning. It's been an all-or-nothing start to the 2026 campaign for Cruz, who is slashing .339/.400/.644 with five homers, 13 RBI, 11 runs scored, six steals and a 5:20 BB:K across 65 plate appearances.
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Pirates' Brandon Lowe: Two homers, five RBI in loss Sunday
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Lowe went 2-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, a walk and two runs scored in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Cubs.
With the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field on Sunday, the Pirates and Cubs combined for five home runs. Lowe walked in the first inning before taking Jameson Taillon deep for a grand slam in the second. He later tagged Taillon again for a solo shot in the fifth. Lowe entered Sunday with just one extra-base hit and zero RBI in April, so this was a much-needed slump-busting performance for the second baseman. Lowe is slashing .245/.373/.592 with five home runs, nine RBI, seven runs scored and a 10:13 BB:K across 59 plate appearances.
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Pirates' Bubba Chandler: Strikes out four over 5.1 innings
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Chandler didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Cubs, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts across 5.1 innings.
Chandler struck out Seiya Suzuki to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, and his afternoon was done at 91 pitches. Hunter Barco closed out the sixth, and Chandler was in line for the win before the bullpen imploded late. Chandler's stuff was electric Sunday, but he was hurt by the long ball on a day the wind was gusting out to center field. Chandler served up a pair of solo shots to Dansby Swanson and Moises Ballesteros in the third inning. Chandler is still looking for his first win of the season and now owns a 3.86 ERA and 14:12 K:BB across 14 innings. Command has obviously been a problem. Chandler is in line to face the Rays at home Friday.
Bart will start at catcher and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Bart will pick up his third start behind the plate in four games, but he'll likely need to improve his production to firmly overtake Henry Davis as the Bucs' No. 1 catcher. While Davis has disappointed with a .194/.286/.290 slash line over 35 plate appearances, Bart (.368 OPS across 17 plate appearances) hasn't fared any better.
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Pirates' Nick Gonzales: Sitting in second straight game
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Gonzales is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Gonzales is on the bench for a second straight game. He's underwhelmed to begin the season with a .267/.313/.333 slash line over 48 plate appearances, and the 26-year-old looks as though he'll have to settle for a utility role with Nick Yorke (.969 OPS over 37 plate appearances) staking a strong claim to the starting job at third base while Jared Triolo (knee) is on the shelf.
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Pirates' Henry Davis: Sitting again Sunday
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Davis is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.
Davis will sit for the third time in four games, suggesting that his grip on the No. 1 catcher job is slipping. Joey Bart will receive another turn behind the dish in place of Davis, who is slashing .194/.286/.290 over 35 plate appearances.
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