Pirates
Pirates Recap: Paul Skenes Makes Second Spring Start, Peguero Hits Big HR
Paul Skenes toed the rubber for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their 9-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota on Thursday night.
It was the second start of the spring for Skenes, who allowed one run and struck out four in three innings against the Orioles on Saturday.
This time, Skenes’ final line read 3.0 innings, four hits, two runs, two walks and three strikeouts. The reigning Rookie of the Year also hit 100 mph on the radar gun.
Skenes issued a walk and allowed an infield single in the first inning but struck out leadoff hitter Cedric Mullins and recorded a pair of groundouts to keep the Orioles from scoring. Baltimore scored a run in the second on a groundout with runners on second and third with one out.
Skenes allowed another base hit in the third inning but held the Orioles scoreless capped off by a strikeout to end the frame. After a leadoff single to open the fourth, Skenes’ night was done.
Ryan Mountcastle, who singled off of Skenes, scored against Ryan Harbin as part of a four-run fourth inning.
Through his two starts now this spring for the Pirates, Skenes has been charged with three runs on eight hits in six innings with three walks and seven strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .308 against him.
Peguero Plays Difference-Maker
Liover Peguero replaced Enmanuel Valdez and got his first at-bat of the game in the eighth inning.
The 24-year-old made it count as he belted a go-ahead home run to left field for his first hit of the spring, snapping an 0-for-8 skid in the process. It came an inning before the Pirates struck for three runs in the ninth.
Peggy’s first home run of spring 👏 pic.twitter.com/akqC6r3FWo
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 7, 2025
Notable Pirates Performances
- Paul Skenes: 3.0 innings, four hits, two runs, two walks, three strikeouts
- Kyle Nicolas: 1.0 inning, no hits, no runs, one walk, two strikeouts
- Endy RodrĂguez: 3 for 3, one RBI, one run
- Liover Peguero: 1 for 1, one home run, one RBI, one walk
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 2 for 3
- Nick Yorke: 1 for 2, one double, one RBI
Up next, the Pirates (8-5) will host the Philadelphia Phillies at LECOM Park on Friday afternoon. First pitch: 1:05 ET.
I’m not going to read too much into the decent hitting thus far from Henry Davis and Endy Rodriguez, but if I were running this team, I would be working both of these guys out at another position. We don’t have room for everyone at catcher, and Bart looks like he’s going to stick as the #1. And that’s good.
I can’t for the life of me understand why they haven’t yet had Davis taking grounders at first. There’s precedent for catchers making a decent transition to first base. It utilizes some of the same skill set. Moreso than, say, right field. And I always think it helps to have another guys with a catcher’s mindset and attitude in the infield dirt to say a word to the pitcher when needed.
As for Endy, I think that bat has a chance to be special. They will need to find at bats for him somewhere nearly every day. Perhaps in the corner outfield.
Endy has plenty of experience at 1B. Davis looks like a catcher only. Plus one of the three are probably going to get hurt so keeping them as catchers make sense.
Yeah, due to the probability of injury, I would keep having everyone take reps at catcher.
I agree Davis definitely has that catcher look. He sure doesn’t look like a right fielder.