RADIO
Mitch Keller Expected to Have a Normal Offseason
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (shoulder) is expected to have a normal offseason, per Aidan Stepansky of MLB.com. Keller's 2026 season ended in early August after he suffered a Grade 3 Teres Major strain in his right shoulder. However, the 30-year-old was able to avoid surgery, and he appears to be on track to be ready for 2027 Spring Training. Keller had a rough season in 2026 before the injury, recording a 6-8 record with a 5.29 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts across 115 2/3 innings (22 starts). His average fastball velocity fell to a career-low 93.4 miles per hour, and his strikeout rate plummeted to 17.7%. However, Keller may have been feeling the effects of the injury before ultimately being shut down.
Source: MLB.com - Aidan Stepansky
Source: MLB.com - Aidan Stepansky
Seth Hernandez 100% Recovered From his Oblique Injury
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Seth Hernandez (oblique) said that he is feeling 100% healthy now and has been since about the first or second week of September, according to Aiden Stepansky of MLB.com. "Finally back home now, getting after it for the offseason. So everything's good on that half," Hernandez said. Per MLB Pipeline, Hernandez is the Pirates' top overall prospect. The 20-year-old former sixth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft was shut down for the season after he suffered a strained left oblique in late July while playing for High-A Greensboro. With Greensboro and Single-A Bradenton in 2026, Hernandez pitched very well, going 6-1 with a 2.43 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 118:31 K:BB in 74 innings across his 18 starts. Not only is Hernandez the Pirates' top pitching prospect, but he is considered the top overall right-handed pitching prospect in baseball this offseason. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder is a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues, even though it could be a long shot for him to reach the big leagues as early as 2027.
Source: MLB.com - Aiden Stepansky
Source: MLB.com - Aiden Stepansky
Braxton Ashcraft is Not Expected to Return This Season
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft (arm) is unlikely to return to the mound this season, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports. Ashcraft appears to be making progress as he was able to play catch from 90 feet on Friday. Despite that, Ashcraft is unlikely to make enough progress to get back on the mound before the end of the regular season. Ashcraft has been out since early September due to right arm discomfort. Ashcraft is probably done for the year, but he did post a breakout campaign for the Pirates this season. Across 28 starts, Ashcraft posted a 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 173/35 K/BB ratio across 165.1 innings of work.
Source: Kevin Gorman
Source: Kevin Gorman
Jared Jones a Priority Waiver-Wire Target Amid Hot Start to September
Across 90 2/3 innings (19 starts) in 2026, Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Jared Jones has recorded a 4-6 record with a 4.17 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 119 strikeouts. After missing the first two-plus months of the 2026 season while working his way back from an elbow injury, Jones allowed 16 earned runs across his first 25 innings pitched following his return. However, the 25-year-old has been lights-out as of late. Across 18 innings (three starts) in September, Jones has pitched to a 1.50 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with 26 strikeouts and two wins. Across 55 2/3 innings since the All-Star break, Jones has posted an excellent 29.7% strikeout rate while keeping his walk rate to a manageable 8.5%. When the hard-throwing righty is healthy and has full command of his arsenal, Jones carries high-end fantasy upside. In any league where he remains on the waiver wire, Jones should be a priority target for fantasy managers ahead of his final appearances of the 2026 season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Braxton Ashcraft Lands on Injured List With Arm Discomfort
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Thursday that they placed right-hander Braxton Ashcraft (arm) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 7) with discomfort in his right arm and recalled right-hander Antwone Kelly from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move. If Ashcraft returns after his 15 days are up on the IL, he will have just enough time to make one more start in 2026, but the Pirates surely will not be rushing him back. Most likely, we have seen Ashcraft make his last start of the season last Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, when he allowed three earned runs. The 26-year-old former second-rounder in 2018 was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his second year in the big leagues, and he has gone 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA (3.50 FIP), 1.09 WHIP, and 173:35 K:BB in 165 1/3 innings pitched across 28 starts. It has been a nice breakout season for Ashcraft, but he is now unlikely to help anyone in the fantasy postseason.
Source: Pittsburgh Pirates
Source: Pittsburgh Pirates
Bubba Chandler's Stock Rising Amidst Second-Half Surge
Across 131 innings (26 games) so far this season, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler has recorded a 6-9 record with a 4.26 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 117 strikeouts. While the young right-hander's top-line numbers don't necessarily stand out, he's been a much better pitcher in recent outings. Across 36 2/3 innings since the All-Star break, Chandler has pitched to a 2.95 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 32 strikeouts. The 23-year-old's 20.6% strikeout rate for the year is underwhelming, and he hasn't gotten significantly more whiffs even in his recent hot streak. However, Chandler is averaging 98.4 miles per hour on his fastball and posted a 27.4% strikeout rate across 100 innings at Triple-A in 2025. As a highly regarded young pitching prospect who is starting to get results in the big leagues, Chandler's fantasy value is on the rise.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jared Jones has Start Pushed Back
According to Colin Beazley, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones will have his scheduled start pushed back. Jones was scheduled to start on Thursday, but he will instead take the ball against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. It's unclear at the moment who is going to get the ball during Thursday's game. Both Carmen Mlodzinski and Lake Bachar are options for that one. Jones has allowed three runs or more in four of his last six starts. He's also coming off elbow surgery, so the Pirates want to limit his innings as much as possible. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly with Jones moving back a day.
Source: Colin Beazley
Source: Colin Beazley
Paul Skenes to Have Start Pushed Back Due to Recovery Concerns
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes will have his scheduled start on Sunday pushed back to Wednesday, according to Jason Mackey of SportsNet Pittsburgh. Per Mackey, this move is due to concerns about his recovery and is not injury-related. The team is looking to provide the former top prospect with additional time to recover between starts. This is quite noteworthy as Skenes has endured some struggles over the past month of action. In his most recent outing, he tossed just five innings and threw only 65 pitches. The most notable concern of this start was that his fastball averaged a career-low of 95.7 MPH in this game. This season, Skenes has posted a 3.88 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, a massive jump from last season's 1.97 ERA. Managers should continue to monitor his status in case Skenes faces further workload limitations down the stretch.
Source: Jason Mackey
Source: Jason Mackey
Braxton Ashcraft Dominates Miami in Complete Game on Thursday
Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Braxton Ashcraft had a much-needed dominant performance over the hosting Miami Marlins on Thursday, throwing a complete game with one earned run allowed on three hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out 10 for his 12th win of the season. Ashcraft lowered his ERA on the season to 3.88 in the process. The only run he allowed in the contest was a solo home run to Owen Caissie in the bottom of the ninth inning. Coming into Thursday's outing in Miami, Ashcraft had posted a 7.88 ERA in his last five starts over 24 innings, so his fantasy managers have to be pretty happy he was able to turn it around in such a dominant way against Miami. In addition to his 3.88 ERA on the year, Ashcraft now sports a 1.11 WHIP with 155 strikeouts and 33 walks in his second full season in the big leagues. He'll look to make it two strong starts in a row his next time out in a difficult matchup against the Detroit Tigers, who have the 11th-best team OPS in the majors in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hunter Barco Sharp in Latest Outing at Triple-A
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Hunter Barco looked sharp in his latest outing at Triple-A Indianapolis, tossing six innings of one-hit ball while walking two and striking out three. The Pirates' ninth-ranked prospect has worked as both a starter and reliever for Indy this year, with much better results as a starter, posting a 2.75 ERA and 1.19 WHIP compared to a 6.94 ERA and 1.97 WHIP. The former second-rounder debuted with the Pirates last year, and made six appearances earlier in 2026, all out of the bullpen. The 6-foot-4 hurler could get another shot in Pittsburgh this year, but his fantasy relevance will depend on whether he's working as a starter or reliever. With the Bucs acquiring Clay Holmes, there currently isn't a need for a closer, and long relief would only make him viable in leagues that reward holds. Even so, the 25-year-old is a name worth monitoring in the event Paul Skenes' recent velocity dip turns into anything more serious and the Pirates end up needing a rotation arm.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Paul Skenes Lifted Early From Contest After Notable Velocity Drop
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes was pulled out early during Tuesday's outing due to a drop in velocity, according to Talkin' Baseball. Skenes only threw 65 pitches during this game, and none of those pitches registered at 97 MPH or higher. The right-hander allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out four batters in the loss. Fantasy managers don't need to panic yet, but Skenes throwing under 97 MPH is certainly alarming. There is no word on him being injured, so maybe his early exit was for another reason. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation closely over the next few days.
Source: Talkin' Baseball
Source: Talkin' Baseball
Seth Hernandez Out 6-8 Weeks, Likely Done for the Season
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitching prospect Seth Hernandez (oblique) landed on the seven-day injured list last weekend and could now be done for the rest of the year. The Pirates revealed on Wednesday that Hernandez is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks while recovering from a left oblique strain. His season is likely over, with High-A Greensboro finishing the season on September 6. Hernandez owns a 2.43 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and a 118/31 K/BB ratio across 18 starts between Greensboro and Class-A Bradenton. This shouldn't be an injury that impacts his status heading into the 2027 season. Hernandez is one of the best pitching prospects in the league and could very well be in Pittsburgh as early as next season.
Source: Alex Stumpf
Source: Alex Stumpf
Hunter Barco Being Recalled by Pirates, Worth Targeting on the Waiver Wire?
Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Hunter Barco is on his way back to the big leagues, per Jason Mackey of MLB.com. Barco made Pittsburgh's Opening Day roster in a bulk relief role, but he struggled to a 7.71 ERA and 1.97 WHIP across 11 2/3 innings (five games) and has been in the minors since late April. The young left-hander has worked as both a starter and a reliever this year at Triple-A, recording a 3-6 record with a 4.87 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings (13 games). Barco seems likely to fill a spot in the Pirates' bullpen, which has been an area of weakness for Pittsburgh this season. While command has been an issue for the 25-year-old, he's shown the ability to generate swing-and-miss in the minor leagues. In a true one-inning role, Barco's stuff could play up. Deep league managers hunting for saves upside may want to consider stashing Barco off the waiver wire.
Source: MLB.com - Jason Mackey
Source: MLB.com - Jason Mackey
Seth Hernandez Placed on Injured List With Left-Oblique Issue
Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Seth Hernandez (oblique) has been placed on the minor-league injured list with a left-oblique issue, according to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. The injury occurred during his Friday, July 24 start for High-A Greensboro against Winston-Salem. Hernandez completed three innings, allowing one hit and striking out five, but Pittsburgh has not announced the severity of the injury or how long he will remain sidelined. Hernandez is the Pirates' top prospect and ranks sixth overall on MLB Pipeline's current list. The 20-year-old owns a 2.43 ERA with 118 strikeouts across 74 innings between Single-A Bradenton and High-A Greensboro in his first full professional season. Dynasty managers should continue holding him while awaiting a clearer recovery timetable.
Source: Jonathan Mayo
Source: Jonathan Mayo
White Sox Acquire Jose Urquidy
The Chicago White Sox acquired right-handed pitcher Jose Urquidy from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. In exchange, the Pirates will receive right-handed pitcher Felix Doroteo. Urquidy hasn't seen much action in the big leagues over the last few years. He made five relief appearances for the Pirates, but was shelled for 10 earned runs. Since then, Urquidy owns a 3.66 ERA, with a 73/18 K/BB ratio across 83.2 innings as a starting pitcher with Triple-A Indianapolis. This isn't the blockbuster trade deadline move that'll save the White Sox's season, but it's something. The expectation is that Urquidy will head to Triple-A and serve as depth.
Source: Mark Feinsand
Source: Mark Feinsand
