The Pirates took a four-game losing streak into yesterday’s series finale in Colorado, but the bats finally awoke and the team enters the All-Star break on a positive note.
Joe Block recaps the win over the Rockies.
Bryse Wilson started the game yesterday for the Pirates after being recalled from Indianapolis. Chase De Jong was placed on the injured list with discomfort in his surgically-repaired knee.
On The Ben Cherington Show on WCCS yesterday, the Pirates’ GM said Bryan Reynolds is “making progress” toward his return from a right oblique injury and will be reevaluated after the All-Star break. Reynolds will be eligible to return from the injured list Thursday, with the Pirates not back in action until Friday at home against the Marlins. Cherington also said Roansy Contreras has “a schedule mapped out for him” to protect his arm. Contreras was optioned to Indy after beating Cincinnati on July 7th and has not pitched in a game since. He will remain with Indianapolis for some starts before being brought back to Pittsburgh. He threw a simulated game in Colorado yesterday.
The Pirates had three picks last night in the opening two rounds of the MLB Draft, including the fourth overall selection. They took high school infielder Termarr Johnson with their first pick, then right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington of Campbell College with their supplemental first round pick, and left-hander Hunter Barco of Florida in the second round.
Termarr Johnson said he wants to play shortstop but he is expected to land at second base. He was rated the best hitter in the draft by most experts.
Thomas Harrington was the 36th overall choice, ranked number 48 by Baseball America. In two seasons at Campbell, he was 18-5 with a 2.94 ERA. He’s a control pitcher rated with an average fastball and a highly rated changeup and slider.
Hunter Barco was taken with the 44th overall choice despite being rated number 69 by Baseball America. He was rated as a first rounder until he had Tommy John surgery in May, so it will be a while before Barco throws a baseball in the Pirates’ organization. Before the surgery, he was 5-2 with a 2.50 ERA in 50-and-a-third innings pitched in 2022.
Baltimore took infielder Jackson Holliday, the son of seven-time All-Star outfielder, Matt Holliday, with the first overall choice. Arizona chose outfielder Druw Jones, the son of former Braves star Andruw Jones, with the number two pick. Texas followed up with Kumar Rocker, the former Vanderbilt pitcher who the Mets took last year with the tenth overall choice. Rocker did not sign with New York but chose to pitch independent ball and wait for this year’s draft. The draft continues today at 2 PM.
ALTOONA CURVE
Altoona lost the first two games of their series with Richmond, then swept the next four, including an 8-3 win yesterday to up their second half record to 12-6 and their overall record to 45-42 entering the Eastern League All-Star break. Matt Frazier and Jared Triolo each hit two-run homers for the Curve yesterday and Fabricio Macias was 2-for-3 and drive in three. Carmen Mlodzinski threw five innings and gave up two runs for the win.
