The Pirates just keep stacking wins, even when you can’t actually watch them. Jim and DiNardo link up from Bradenton on the North Shore Nine podcast to recap a weekend where Pittsburgh went to Florida’s east coast, played two games that weren’t on TV, and still came back with two more Grapefruit League wins. The Bucs beat the Astros 5-2 in a rain-shortened six innings, then followed it up with a 6-1 win over the Cardinals. Spring record: 8-2. Bucco Fever is real.
The headliner again is Konnor Griffin, who launched his third home run of the spring and continues to make noise every time he steps in the box. He’s getting attention everywhere, and it’s not hard to see why. Jhostynxon Garcia also got on the board with his first homer, and even beyond the long ball, the early returns are the exact mix you want to see: patience, loud contact, and flashes of that ceiling the Pirates are betting on.
But Sunday’s story was the pitching. The staff allowed one hit and one unearned run against St. Louis, highlighted by Hunter Barco’s three scoreless innings with real swing-and-miss. Barco’s spring has turned the fifth starter conversation into a legitimate debate, even if the innings management question looms.
The crew also previews a wild week ahead with several players leaving for the WBC, opening up more opportunities for prospects to get run.
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