Buccos Cove

When Wilmer Difo was DFA'd back on June 8th, it looked like his days in a Pirates uniform were over. However, he is back with the Pirates after injuries opened the door and is taking advantage of his opportunity at the plate. The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the New York Mets for the third time in their last five games last night with a 4-1 win. It was a big night for the Pirates as a whole, but the guy leading the charge was utility man Wilmer Difo. Difo went 2-4 in the game with a home run, a single, and an RBI, and helped give the Pirates a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. However, earlier in the year a night like tonight didn't look possible for the 29-year-old infielder. On June 8th, Difo was hitting just .244 and was really only succeeding in pinch-hitting situations. The Pirates ended up Designating him for assignment, and it looked like it would be the last time we saw Difo in a Pirates uniform. However, he ended up clearing waivers and was sent down...

The Pittsburgh Pirates welcomed back Phillip Evans off of the injured list last night, but to do so they had to DFA pinch-hitting success Wilmer Difo. While the departure was a little bit surprising, it also offered some more clarity on the roles of Pirates bench players this season. Every year there are some surprises on a Major League roster who you weren't really expecting much from. Some recent examples include the emergence of guys like Evan Meek in the late 2000s, Josh Harrison in the playoff years, and most recently a guy named Phillip Evans who came into his own in 2020 before promptly having his session ended by Gregory Polanco's elbow. In 2022, the early season surprise was a guy named Wilmer Difo, who the Pirates signed as a Minor League Free Agent this off-season. Not much was expected of Difo, but he took advantage of his opportunity when he got the call. He became one of the best pinch hitters on the Pirates, hitting .296 with a home run and three RBI ...

After not scoring a run all game, the Pittsburgh Pirates fought back last night to beat the San Francisco Giants in walk-off fashion 3-2. The offense is hoping to use this momentum to get them going again for the rest of the series. Entering Friday night's game against the San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates offense had been really bad. They had scored two runs or less in nine of their previous 11 games, and things weren't looking good again. The Pirates entered the ninth inning down 1-0, and even though they were out-hitting the Giants 6-3, they weren't bringing runners home. The only bright spot was that the top of the lineup was due up with the National League's hit leader set to lead it off. The Pirates would rally to tie the game on a Bryan Reynolds single and forced extra innings. Neither team scored in the 10th, but it was the Pirates who had the last laugh as Gregory Polanco won the game in the bottom of the 11th with a sacrifice fly.  Extra...

On a Major League Baseball coaching staff, you always hear about the jobs of the Manager, Pitching Coach, and Hitting Coach. However, one job you don't hear much about is the Bench Coach, and it is a role that Don Kelly is thriving in for the Pirates. When looking at the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates, many fans are encouraged by the team performing above expectations early in the year. Manager Derek Shelton and Pitching Coach Oscar Marin have been getting a lot of the praise on the coaching staff for the turnaround, but that praise may also be due to another coach. Don Kelly, a Pittsburgh native and standout at Point Park University, joined Shelton's staff as Bench Coach in November of 2019, and has played a big role behind the scenes with the Pirates. Not only does he manage day-to-day operations around the team and help organize the entire Spring Training schedule, but he is also a part of another essential part of the game. Kelly is responsible for keeping the guys on ...

In a surprise move yesterday, the Pittsburgh Pirates placed outfielder Gregory Polanco on the injured list and recalled utility man Hunter Owen. The move put the Pirates another outfielder down and searching for questions at the position. If there is one position group with the biggest question mark on the 2021 Pittsburgh Pirates, it is their outfielders. Bryan Reynolds is back to his old self, but the other two positions have been a rotation of guys trying to find their way. Gregory Polanco has been out to his usual slow start, and the rotation of Dustin Fowler and Anthony Alford in centerfield ended up failing miserably as both players were DFA'd. The Pirates have tried moving Phillip Evans out to the outfield to keep his bat in the lineup, but ever since the move, both his offensive and defensive game have struggled mightily. The Pirates outfielders were dealt another blow yesterday when the Pirates announced that Gregory Polanco was heading to the IL with an undiscl...

An update from Pittsburgh Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk said all signs are encouraging as Ke'Bryan Hayes recovers from a wrist injury. However, the rookie's return leaves the Pirates with some tough decisions ahead. With all the success the Pirates offense has been having as of late, they are about to get a big piece back in their lineup. After being out since April 3rd with a wrist sprain, rookie third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes was eligible to come off the 10-day Injured List yesterday. Pittsburgh Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk said that all signs are encouraging in Hayes's recovery as he is fielding groundballs, swinging a bat, and running the bases. However, he ruled out a return for the Padres series but did not say whether or not Hayes could return to the team in Milwaukee. The Pirates haven't suffered as bad as some thought since Hayes's absence, going 4-6 during that time, but will only benefit from getting a ...

With a team of young players like the Pittsburgh Pirates have, there are growing pains that you expect throughout the season. However, the team has been lacking in some of the fundamentals of the game and it has been hurting them in the long run. It wasn't the Home Opener that the Pirates dreamed up on Thursday afternoon as they fell to the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park 4-2. The loss dropped their record to 1-6 on the season, and they have now lost six games in a row heading into today's off day. Now, with a young team, we didn't expect the wins and losses to matter as much as player development does. However, this game was just another example of how the biggest thing the Pirates lack is the fundamentals of the game. The Pirates had several opportunities throughout the game to break things open, but couldn't find the clutch hit they needed. Now, any close loss can be frustrating, but when it is a loss where the fundamentals have escaped you it is that much more ...

It was a lot earlier than expected, but the Pittsburgh Pirates made their first promotion from the alternate site to the Big League club. IF/OF Wilmer Difo is the one who got the call as the Pirates sent Ke'Bryan Hayes to the IL with a wrist injury. For the players who were sent down to the Pittsburgh Pirates alternate training site, they expected it to be a few weeks before anyone had a chance to get a call to the Major Leagues. However, with Ke'Bryan Hayes injuring his wrist in just the second game of the season, a call was made for reinforcements from Pittsburgh. The Pirates were in need of an infielder but needed to keep versatility in mind with having just a four men bench. While many were expecting Todd Frazier to get the call, the Pirates went a different direction promoting veteran utility man Wilmer Difo on Sunday. Difo came to the Pirates this off-season on a Minor League contract and brings with him the ability to play all over the infield as well as all ...

While the Major League season is fully underway, for the Pirates Minor Leaguers another month awaits before their season starts. They will be at the Pirates alternate training site for the month of April with some similarities and differences from years past. Even though baseball is back and playing a full 162-game season, the pandemic still rages on across the country. Because of this MLB decided to delay the Minor League season one month, pushing back the start of games from April 4th to May 4th. The only level this truly affects is Triple-A, but it also means the return of alternate training sites for teams around the league during the first month of the season. Players who didn't make the Major League roster, but were in Big League camp will report to these sites where they can get their work in while they await the start of true games. Essentially, it is an extended Spring Training for the guys until the start of the Minor League season. For the Pittsburgh Pirates,...

Yesterday, MLB Beat Reporter John Heyman announced that Todd Frazier had opted out of his contract and has become a free agent. Today, we look at how losing Frazier affects the Pirate's Opening Day roster and what opportunity this awards players. If you haven't heard by now, the Pittsburgh Pirates will not get to use the services of Todd Frazier in 2021. After signing the 12-year MLB veteran to a Minor League contract on February 20th, Frazier had come in and helped guide many of the Pirate's young players. One guy he had a big impact on was third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. Frazier was quoted as saying that Hayes is going to be "a beast" at the Major League level. He was even quoted as telling Jameson Taillon in a Spring Training game "Don't worry I'll take care of your guys." However, in a surprising move, Frazier was told on Friday after the game that he would not be making the Major League club. Because of this, Frazier opted out ...

This off-season, the Pittsburgh Pirates took a flier on a veteran middle infielder to help young guys like Cole Tucker in their development. Now, Wilmer Difo is fighting for a spot on the 2021 Pirates as he tries to turn his career around. With all of the young talent on the Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 roster, the team was looking for a veteran presence to help out around the field. They have done this by adding guys like Todd Frazier, Trevor Cahill, and Brian Goodwin to help the young players in their development. However, one move for a veteran that might have been forgotten is one of the first free-agent signings of the off-season for the Pirates. On January 15th, 2021, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran middle infielder and utility man Wilmer Difo as a Minor League Free Agent. Difo has spent the past six seasons with the Washington Nationals organization and is exactly what the Pirates are looking for in a super-utility guy. Throughout his career, he has played every pos...

As the Pirates enter the 2021 season, there is really no clear-cut starter at shortstop. Barring any other trades, we look at the three-way battle for shortstop with Erik Gonzalez, Kevin Newman, and Cole Tucker all in the running. As the Pittsburgh Pirates get ready to enter Spring Training 2021, there still remains a lot of questions on the Big League club. One of those questions revolves around who will be playing shortstop for the team this season. After Kevin Newman's struggles at the plate last season, there is likely to be competition heading into the 2021 season. Plus, if Adam Frazier is traded, that would more than likely move Newman to second base, opening the field for more competition at shortstop. With so many middle infielders on the Pirates roster, Manager Derek Shelton has a couple of different options he can play with. If everything stays put before the start of the season, it is more likely than not that Kevin Newman will at least start the year as the ...

The Pittsburgh Pirates capped off a busy Friday when they signed their first free agent of the off-season. Wilder Difo signed a Minor League deal, adding to the Pirate's depth in the middle infield. Friday was a busy day for the Pittsburgh Pirates as they were busy signing international free agents and settling arbitration with current players. Lost in the mix of the day was a free agent signing aimed at bolstering the Pirate's middle infield depth. The Pirates agreed to a Minor League deal with shortstop Wilmer Difo, who played for the Washington Nationals during the last six seasons. It adds to an already jumbled up middle infield picture and is leading some people to believe that an Adam Frazier trade is now imminent. While this may be the case, it also might be a move to add some experience to the Pirates bench. Difo knows what it takes to win a championship, as he was part of the 2019 World Series Washington Nationals team. While he wasn't in the World Seri...