When it comes to the best of the best, there’s no denying that the Pittsburgh Pirates are truly icons in the professional baseball leagues. Their exemplary plays prove time again why they are considered one of the best baseball teams in history. Ever since the 1903 World Series, they’ve continuously shocked both fans and experts with their record-breaking performances. Moreover, the Pirates still hold a historic World Series win because of the legendary Bill Mazeroski.
Today, they still live up to their name and have been cooking for the 2024 campaign from the sides. This article collected the best news and confirmed rumors from the Pirates. See more below and build up that Pirate hype as they line up their best in time for the 2024 pre-season games.
In this article
Acquisition of Marco Gonzales For Starting Pitch
Marco Gonzales is a well-known veteran who previously played for the Atlanta Braves. Considering the Pirate’s plans to acquire a strong starting pitch, they offered Gonzales a trade-in contract to bring him into the ranks.
It is no secret that Marco Gonzales is an attractive prospect for many teams. Back in 2022, he was one of the potentials alongside Jose Quintana and Tyler Mahle to bolster Philadelphia Phillies odds to fill in the initial roster for August 2023. Although it was never finalized, the rumors of Gonzales being traded were enough to sway other team’s odds.
As for the Pirates, it is generally acknowledged that Marco Gonzales will take massive responsibility in potentially leading the starting roster for the 2024 campaign.
His skill set is expected to fill the Pirate’s overall need for a new rotation following their detrimental loss from player injuries for the current year. Mitch Keller is one of the healthy players on board for the starting position.
O’neil Cruz’s Improving Health Open Up 2024 Participation
Pittsburgh Pirate O’neil Cruz’s recovery progress shows promise for his potential comeback in 2024. It is recalled that Cruz has suffered an ankle injury following his April performance. Since then, Cruz has been out of the season and lacking a promising shortstop.
O’neil Cruz has been vital to the Pittsburgh Pirates and their efforts to increase the rankings. Cruz has made a .250 for the current season run with 4 RBI and 3 bases stolen under 32 at-bats. O’neil Cruz started his professional debut in 2021 but showed promise through 2022, taking in 19 home runs throughout the 87 games he participated in.
This also goes back to the Pirate’s intense drive to create a new roster. In 2024, Cruz’s comeback will be supported by new additions to the team, from the veteran Marco Gonzales to the current number one draft pick Paul Skenes.
Paul Skenes, A Promising Addition
Paul Skenes placed himself at the top of the 2023 draft class as one of the most sought-after players in the batch, chosen to be with the Pirates, who had the first-pick advantage.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are also cautious about how Skenes will play in the next series. His build as an athletic pitcher will be used for a chance as a two-way player, seeing his recent performance in the Air Force and LSU, respectively.
Hence, the reason and build-up of Paul Skene being the best prospect out of this year’s draft series. Many see him as the prospect with the most potential, at least on the pitching side. We’ll likely see Skenes in action in the Major Leagues.
Henry Davis Lags Behind, Trade-In Rumors
Former pick Henry Davis is confirmed to return to his natural position in 2024. Davis started his professional career as a backstop but has recently become an outfield athlete. Throughout his career, he competed in 49 games in the right field.
Davis has never outshined others in defense and is certainly not the best defender. Remember that his fellow athletes outplayed him to defensive Austin Hedges and Endy Rodriguez. Still, the Pirates see value for the professional.
The Pirates believe that Davis is made for the long run. If he can stick in his place as a catcher and improve his offensive capabilities, Davis might just run in for the best backstops performance-wise. Despite rumors and talks about trading Davis, his manager still sees an opportunity to bring his catching skills to the big leagues.
Max Kranick Recovery Update
The Pittsburgh Pirates reinstated Max Kranick to a 60-day injury and recovery list, considering his recent elbow injury and the Tommy John surgery in 2022. Max has reported having struggles during rehabilitation practices.
Whether Max comes back at full potential is up for discussion and guesses, but certainly, he’ll make appearances for the next season to supplement the lacking team roster. That said, it is unclear whether he can perform well, given that he has already been coming back and forth to recovery.
Final Thoughts
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made some bold moves following their need to re-supply their team roster with new talents. While their decision to take Marco Gonzales was a big win of hype for them, it is unclear how their next year’s returnees would play at the big leagues.
Nevertheless, much of the Pirates’ expectations are based on speculation, and there’s still much left to discover before their first 2024 season match. Stay tuned for more as we give out as many updates from the Pittsburgh Pirates as possible.
