◆NEWSKonnor Griffin To Begin Rehab Assignment◆ROSTERSent SS Konnor Griffin on a rehab assignment to Altoona Curve◆HOT BATOneil Cruz: .256 AVG, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .920 OPS (last 2 weeks)◆LAST GAMEBraxton Ashcraft 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 K◆ROSTERRecalled LHP Evan Sisk from Indianapolis Indians◆ON THE BUMPBraxton Ashcraft: 1.89 ERA, 9 K (last 2 weeks)◆ROSTEROptioned RHP Noah Murdock to Indianapolis Indians◆STATNick Gonzales ranks 2nd in the NL in batting average (.307)◆ROSTERSigned free agent RHP Tyler Owens to a minor league contract◆STATPaul Skenes ranks 6th in the NL in strikeouts (175)

The Point

NL Central Check-In: What’s Missing From The Pirates To Feel Legit?

Jan 8 · 01:21:28

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Episode Notes

Tonight on NS9LIVE!, we’re putting the Pittsburgh Pirates under the NL Central microscope. How do they stack up right now against the Brewers, Cubs, Reds, and Cardinals, and are they truly close enough to contend in 2026? We’ll debate whether the roster is “good enough” as-is or if the Pirates have to acquire at least one more bat to feel safe about being a real contender. We’ll also hit the latest roster churn, including Marco Luciano being claimed by the Baltimore Orioles and Tsung-Che Cheng being claimed by the Tampa Bay Rays on January 7, 2026. Then we’ll wrap with a Discord mailbag and answer your questions live.